Awkward Situations
by AntigoneScorned
Summary: I've always tried to avoid awkward situations, but that became increasingly difficult as my son Kurt grew up. This is the story of my experiences dealing with Kurt, then Finn and finally adding Blaine to the circus we call a family.
1. Chapter 1

Awkward Situations

For the first 30 years of my life, I, Burt Hummel, have managed to avoid awkward situations like the plague. When my son turned four, things started to take a turn for the awkward. But I still managed to stave off the majority of awkward situations that came my way. I made sure Kurt rode his bike in the driveway that wrapped around the house, so the pink streamers weren't seen out on the street. The outdoor tea parties were held in the backyard. It's not that I wasn't proud of my son. I was, and still am. The one thing I couldn't stand was Kurt getting picked on. So instead of saying "No tea parties", I simply made sure they were held in private. Therefore, no need to deal with the ignorant neighbors.

Avoiding unwanted problems became more difficult when Kurt reached high school. I almost had a heart attack when Kurt walked out on the football field and began dancing to some song about jewelry by that Bouncy person.

Most of the awkward moments in my life have happened since my son finally told me he was gay. What started as one or two moments a year has turned into several a week. Sure it was awkward seeing a note on my son's bedroom door saying he was with a girl. He's always with girls, they have sleepovers all the time and Kurt always seems to squeal the loudest. So I was pretty shocked to walk in on Kurt sucking face with that blonde cheerleader that always calls me "Mr. Dolphin's Dad" (I still don't know what that one means). Although, what was more shocking than that was walking in on my son sucking face with a boy. Not just any boy, but THAT BOY, the one from the bed... The gay boy who slept in my son's bed. Yes, that one. Little did I know at the time, but Blaine Anderson would become a permanent fixture in our house.

The really awkward situations didn't start until after the wedding, when Kurt transferred to Dalton. I should have known then. The kid constantly talked about his new school, but only ever mentioned one kid by name. Blaine. Eventually, Blaine started visiting the house to hang out with Kurt. He got along with Finn, and he and Kurt were never touching or kissing, so I figured Kurt was still too innocent to be WITH another boy. They were just friends. I had to keep telling myself that.

Then one day he stopped by my shop. And he had the nerve to tell me my son needed the talk. Boy, that kid must have balls of steel to walk into my business and tell me that. But he had a point. Kurt really did have an aversion to talking about sex. He even stuck his fingers in his ears and sang. So really, that counted as three awkward situations. One being the conversation with Blaine, two the trip to the clinic to pick up pamphlets on gay sex (even if I have another heart attack, I could never again walk in there without turning a violent shade of red), and three the conversation with Kurt. In retrospect, I guess leaving a box of condoms on Kurt's dresser was sort of giving him the go ahead. Probably should have thought that one through a little more.

Before I knew it, Carol and I were driving to the glee club competition between my two sons. When I saw Kurt's face when he and Blaine were singing, I knew then. But Carol saw how tightly I was griping the arm rest and tried to calm me down long enough to let them tell me. Sure enough, right after the competition, Kurt came up to us, congratulated Finn on his well earned win, and then turned to me. At this point I noticed Blaine was stand right next to him. How'd I miss that? And they were holding hands. Kurt finally came out and said it. He and Blaine were "together". I guess that means dating, because up until now, they were together all the time anyway. I gave Blaine a look that said we'll talk later, and he had the grace to pale a little and look truly frightened. Good, I still had it. Carol asked Blaine where his parents were, because she would love to meet them. He said something about a business meeting, avoiding any details.

My chance at intimidating Blaine didn't come for a few more days. I got home from the shop and found the boys baking cookies in the kitchen. I waited until the trays were in the oven to ask to speak to Blaine for a minute. I didn't feel bad about leaving Kurt with the clean up, the kid loved cleaning. He probably wouldn't have let Blaine help anyway, accusing him of doing something wrong, much like he did to me when I loaded the dishwasher. So I pulled Blaine into the TV room and motioned for him to sit on the couch, while I sat in my usual chair. Then I gave him the old glare. I just sat and stared without saying a word. The kid tried sitting there, smiling politely, but after a few minutes he was clearly freaked out. He turned a few shades paler and started sweating a little. He went to loosen his tie, used to a Dalton uniform, but was surprised to realize he was wearing a t-shirt. After a few more minutes of awkward silence, he finally started to talk.

"Mr. Hummel, was there something you wanted to talk to me about? I should really go help Kurt clean up."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd love to help Kurt." I snapped at him. "I haven't forgotten about our little chat the other day in my shop".

At that he gulped, much like you would expect a cartoon character to do. After a few more minutes I decided to cut the kid a break, since he really did look like he was going to pass out.

"I should probably tell you about my crossbow I use for hunting. Just... Think about that in case you ever hurt my son. And no funny business in my house. I don't know what your parents' rules are, but when Kurt's involved, no funny business there either. I have good aim and can easily castrate you if I need to. It would only take one arrow."

Blaine's hands moved subconsciously to cover his lap, but still looked me straight in the eye. Finally he said "I would never do anything to hurt your son. I know it took me a while, and I honestly didn't realize my feelings when I came to talk to you. I was just concerned about my best friend. But now that I realize how amazing Kurt is, I can't believe I didn't see it before. I haven't said this to him yet, because I want to take things slowly, but I love him. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."

By the end of his little speech I could tell he meant everything he said. I still didn't want him alone with my son with the bedroom door closed though.

"I believe you, but there are still some ground rules, those don't change just because you love my son. We are equal opportunity in the house, so Kurt has the same rules as Finn, only whenever it applies to a girl, it'll be a guy. No being alone in the house. If you two are in a bedroom, the door stays open. All clothing stays on at all times, no sleepovers in the same bed or room. I know I can't control what goes on outside of my house, but if you are having Kurt over your house, your parents should be home. If he is staying over, I expect a call from your parents saying they are home and know he is staying over. I think that's about it..." I began to trail off when Blaine cut in.

"You don't have to worry about that Mr. Hummel; I don't plan on having Kurt spend the night at my house. My dad isn't exactly accepting of my... sexuality, so it really wouldn't go well having my boyfriend sleep over. I had a sleepover once for the warblers, and my dad made me sleep in my room on the second floor and had all my friends sleep in the basement because sleeping in a room with that many boys would only make me more gay." When he finished, he was clearly a little agitated, but I could tell it wasn't directed towards me, but his own father.

"So, that's what that whole rebuilding a car thing was all about too. You weren't kidding."

"No, sir." He replied, with a look that said he wished the situation were different.

"Does he give you a hard time about it, your father?" I asked, truly curious how a father could love his son any less just because he was gay.

Blaine took a minute to reply. He looked like he wanted to tell me something, but all of a sudden he plastered on that dapper look and replied "Not really. He just ignores me most of the time."

I could tell he was hiding something, but knew he wasn't going to say anything right now. Damn, I was already starting to feel for the kid. He's supposed to be the enemy, stealing my son's innocence. I just threatened to castrate him with a crossbow (that I don't actually have- Kurt hasn't let me go hunting since he saw Bambi and cried for a week straight), and all of a sudden, I can't help but realize he's just a 16 year old kid, just like Kurt. Only unlike Kurt, he doesn't seem to the have the support of a loving family. I decided to just say what I needed to say and then go back to hating him.

"If you ever don't feel safe or are hurt, you are always welcome here, day or night, just call me and I'll come pick you up."

"Oh no, Mr. Hummel, my dad doesn't hit me." Blaine was quick to reply, but he wasn't as sure of what he was saying as he was when he was talking about Kurt.

I decided to drop it and just let the kid get back to baking cookies, or whatever it is gay boys do when hanging out instead of video games or playing basketball (the old stand-bys for Finn and Puck).

At that point Kurt walked in from the kitchen, clearly having heard at least part of the conversation to have known he could come in.

"Umm, Dad, can Blaine and I go up and watch a movie in my room?" Kurt knew how to push my buttons. As he asked, he put a plate of cookies down in the table in front of me. Since my heart attack, I haven't been allowed more than one cookie at a time. Yet here was a plate with half a dozen cookies just for me. He must really want to be alone with this boy. I sat for a moment pretending to consider it. Finally I responded.

"Alright, but the door stays open. No funny business."

Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand and ran up the stairs shouting back a "Thanks Dad" as an after thought.

I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, since Blaine came around, I've gotten to watch more sports, since Kurt had someone to watch his musicals with. After about an hour and a half, I figured I would check on them. I brought up some sodas, so I would have a cover other than just checking on them. I figured if the door was open, they couldn't be doing anything anyway, right?

Well, I was wrong. I knew they were dating and that they were both teenage boys, but I was still surprised to walk into my sons room to find him straddling a boy while apparently trying to suck off his face. I didn't know what to do. At least with that bimbo cheerleader it wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. And then I saw Kurt's hands. One was holding Blaine's hands in place above his head, and the other was reaching under Blaine's shirt, resting on his abs. This was not the innocent little Kurt I was used to. I decided I couldn't just stand there all day, and I certainly didn't want to see this go any further. I cleared my throat very loudly while knocking a few times on the door frame. They jumped apart like they were burned. Blaine was already close to the edge of the bed and fell right off onto the floor. I think he may have hit his head on the night stand, but maybe it would knock some sense into him. Kurt's face turned a deep red and he started to stutter about not knowing I was there. I knew to stop Kurt before he started babbling.

"I want to see both you boys in the kitchen in five minutes." I practically ordered as I spun around and stomped down the stairs. Over the sound of the blood pounding in my ears I heard Kurt snap at Blaine "He won't shoot your penis off. He doesn't even own a crossbow."

Well, there goes that bargaining chip. I continued stomping into the kitchen where I found Finn and Carol.

"Finn, can you please go in the other room and play video games for a little while?"

Finn gladly stood up while saying "You don't have to ask me twice. I'll be happy to play video games all night." Then, as I heard him start up the stairs, and two others start down the stairs, I heard Finn once again "Boy, you must have really pissed your dad off. I've never seen him that shade of purple before." After that comment, the foot steps stop coming down the stairs, and I could hear some hushed whispers, only making out the word crossbow. At that Carol smacked me in the back of the head. When I gave her a quizzical look, she replies by saying I shouldn't threaten polite young boys with weapons I don't actually have.

As the two boys walked into kitchen and sat down, the first thing I noticed was how close they were sitting. After a few seconds of glaring, Blaine slid his chair a few inches away from Kurt.

"Alright," I began "I believe I just finished saying no funny business. And I walk upstairs to a barely open door to find a lot of funny business going on."

"Dad, we were just kissing."

Kurt immediately began speaking while Blaine just stared at the table top while rubbing the back of his head. "I don't see what's wrong with that. Finn does that all the time in his room with Rachel. And Quinn. And Santana!"

All of a sudden Blaine stood up and said excuse me as he ran out of the room, a little wobbly. After a couple minutes of Kurt's ranting, Carol walked out of the room to check on Blaine. Kurt continued on about equal rights and how Finn is apparently a man whore.

All of a sudden Carol walked briskly into the room and I could tell she was in nurse mode.

"Burt, grab your keys, we're going to the hospital."

"Wait, what's going on?"

Her reply was surprisingly calm. "Blaine is going to need stitches on the back of his head. And based on his inability to stand up off the bathroom after profusely vomiting, I'm pretty sure he has a concussion."

Kurt let out a sound similar to that of a mouse, and ran to find Blaine.

"I swear I didn't hit him!"

"I know you didn't Burt. But apparently you scared him to the point of falling off a bed, hitting the night stand on the way down."

Damn. I should have asked if he was ok after that happened. Things like that always come back to bite me in the ass. I thought it would knock sense into him. Instead it gave him a concussion.

So we all piled into the car, Kurt sitting in the back with Blaine's head resting in his lap. Carol kept turning around from the passenger seat to ask Blaine questions and make sure he stayed awake. He kept responding by saying he was okay, and didn't need to bother us with having to take him to the hospital. But Carol's been a nurse long enough to know when it's hospital worthy, so I trusted her instinct over that of a 16 year old who was terrified of me.

When we pulled into the ER parking lot, Carol ran in ahead to give them the whole story. Kurt was helping Blaine walk in, but Blaine was getting more and more wobbly, so finally I walked over and picked him up to carry him in. His only response was to say "This is really embarrassing. I can walk. Also, please don't cut off my penis."

I guess at least part of my talk stuck with him. We entered the emergency room, luckily it was empty, and I was able to put Blaine down on a wheelchair. I never noticed how much smaller he is than Kurt or Finn. Carol wheeled him into the back, leaving Kurt and I in the waiting room. "I guess we should call his parents. Do you have his house number in your phone?"

Kurt looked a little hesitant, but finally responded.

"I don't have the house number. We can get it from Blaine when he gets out."

I thought it was strange that Kurt wouldn't have Blaine's home number, but I guess with all the technology these days, what with texting and email, they probably didn't call anyway. Finally Blaine and Carol came out, with strict instructions that Blaine be kept under careful watch for 24 hours.

"OK Blaine, we're going to take you home now, that way Carol can talk to you parents and explain everything medical better than anyone else could." At this point, Blaine looked like he was going to be sick again. "They're out of town. My dad had a business meeting in New York all week."

Carol quickly noticed his discomfort in having to ask a favor, and jumped ahead. "Then you'll stay with us tonight. You can't stay alone. At 16, you shouldn't be alone all week anyway, but especially not with a concussion." Blaine once again looked uncomfortable at the comment about being alone so long, but appeared to brush it off. "I hate to impose, but I understand why the doctor said I can't be alone. Thank you so much for your hospitality."

Even after getting seven stitches and having a concussion, the kid is still polite.

We got back to the house and Kurt pulled Blaine into the living room to watch a movie. The next time I walked in they were sitting like they were in the car on the way to the hospital. Blaine had his head resting on Kurt's lap, and Kurt was running his fingers through Blaine's hair. Although how he got around all that gel, I'll never know.

Later that evening, we sat down to dinner and Finn walked in. Apparently no one mentioned going to the hospital, but Finn didn't notice anyway, because as he walked to his seat he poked Blaine in the back of the head where the gauze covering his stitches was. "Wow, what happened to you? Burt must have walked in on some crazy shit to hit you hard enough to need a band aid." Everyone just looked at Finn with their mouths open for a minute. Then, before he knew it, Finn was being smacked by Carol on one side, and Kurt on the other.

"Ow! What is wrong with everyone?"

Sometimes Finn is a little too clueless.

Later on that night, it was my shift to wake up Blaine every few hours and make sure he wasn't dead. I don't really mind, it kind of is my fault he cracked his head open on that nightstand.

I walked into the living room to find Kurt asleep on the couch. There was someone on the couch, but there was no way that was Blaine. I'd never seen so much hair on one person. "What the hell happened to you?"

Blaine looked confused for a minute before slowly replying, as if he was speaking to a 2 year old, or someone who didn't speak English.

"I hit my head and have a concussion."

At that I chuckled a bit. "I meant the hair"

"Oh! Carol helped me wash the blood out of it since I couldn't get the stitches wet. I know it's kind of out of control. That's why I use so much gel. I would have just left it, but Carol said she couldn't get through the gel to change the gauze." He nervously ran his fingers through his excessively curly hair.

"Just try to get some rest; I'll wake you up in a little while."

I made the executive decision that we could all watch some football. It seemed only fair since both boys were almost asleep. A few minutes into the game I heard a small voice comment.

"They haven't been good since their quarterback graduated. Ohio State needs a whole new lineup before they could win a championship again."

I slowly turned my head to see Blaine watching the game.

"Wait, you like football? I thought you guys like musicals?"

I guess I should have thought that one through a little more.

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I can't like football."

That floored me. "Oh, uh, sorry... I just figured that with all the musicals you and Kurt are always watching, you probably wouldn't be into... Well..."

"Macho stuff? My dad has had season tickets to the Buckeyes since before I was born. It was the one thing we always did together." After a few minutes of awkward silence, he continued. "He hasn't taken me to a game since I told him I was gay. He still keeps calling it 'my little problem' or a phase."

That was when I really looked at him. He was just a scared little boy looking for reassurance that he wasn't some kind of freak of nature.

"Maybe we could go to a game sometime. God knows Kurt wouldn't go with me and Finn's always busy this time of year with football camp."

"I'd love to go! I can't imagine Kurt sitting through a football game." Blaine seemed genuinely excited about going to a game with me, which is weird after I recently threatened to castrate him. I chuckled at his last comment.

"Kurt had trouble sitting through the game when he was on the team, I don't think he could handle just watching."

Blaine sat there looking at me with his mouth hanging open.

"Wait a minute... Kurt was on the football team? My Kurt. The boy who cries through Disney movies and won't go out of the house without looking impeccable. He played football?"

"Yeah, that was before he came out though. I think he just joined to make me think he was tough. But you know what; the kid was a good kicker. Must have been all that ballet, but he was the only one in the school who could kick a field goal. He quit after winning a couple games. Once he told me he was gay and realized I was ok with it, he knew he didn't have to pretend anymore. A few weeks later he joined cheerleading with Mercedes."

Blaine seemed surprised. After a minute he started talking again.

"I played soccer to impress my dad. It didn't work though. When I told him I was gay, he didn't take it nearly as well as you. He hit me a couple of times and told me to get out of his house. I didn't know where to go, so I sat on the front steps for an hour or so, then my mom told me to come inside and go to my room. My dad hasn't really spoken directly to me since, but he does make rude comments when I'm in the room."

"Blaine, I thought you said your dad doesn't hit you. Does he?"

He immediately took on that deer in the headlights look and quickly mumbled something that sounded like "just that once".

After that we went back to watching the game in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm amazed at the amount of hits and favorites this story has gotten. I have a few chapters already finished that I just need to proof read and upload, so there should be another new chapter tomorrow. The T rating is for slight language and mentions of sex. Enjoy!

-Antigone

The next few weeks went by uneventfully, which in my house is a seldom occurrence. It seemed that every time Kurt was home, Blaine was there. I could tell they were getting closer. Kurt's mom, Elizabeth, and I moved much faster than other couples our age because we were best friends before we started dating. When you're in a relationship with your best friend, you can skip the first few months of getting to know each other. You already know everything. I think that's what happened with the boys; at least they were more comfortable with each other in front of the rest of the household. What that boils down to is walking into the living room to find them snuggling or even occasionally kissing. Carol found it cute and would back track out of the room without disturbing them. I would loudly clear my throat, then proceed to stay in the same room as them even if it meant watching the second half of the sound of music when I could be watching the game. Finn seemed to be another story all together. He got along great with Blaine. I had even seen the two of them playing basketball in the driveway while Kurt sat on the steps reading a magazine. Blaine did surprisingly well considering Finn had a good 12 inches on him. Now that Kurt was back at McKinley, Finn was doing an outstanding job as big brother and protector, and Kurt returned the favor by tutoring Finn, possibly even doing a few of the assignments himself, which he never admitted to.

But the one thing Finn did not handle well was walking in on the two of them "together". If they were just cuddling it wasn't bad, but the kissing made Finn react in a bad way. It could have been because he was used to Blaine just being one of the guys, playing sports, or Kurt being his "little" brother now.

I'll never forget the day it happened. I heard a shriek and then a very loud thump. I yelled up the stairs to see if everything was alright. Kurt's flustered reply came, sounding out of breath. "I don't think so..."

So I ran up the stairs to find Finn out cold on the floor in the hallway outside of Kurt's room. The first thing I did was check on Finn. He started to come around, and Blaine walked over with a glass of water. As Finn accepted the glass, he looked up at Blaine and his expression turned to horrified. Without explaining anything he mumbled something about his room and ran away down the hall. I turned to the other two boys, knowing something must have happened to have caused Finn to faint.

"Alright, one of you better start talking." I decided to give them a bit of my glare for good measure. Kurt could match me in a staring contest for hours, so Blaine was the first to crack. He took half a step forward when I first noticed it. Blaine was not wearing his own clothes. He was wearing nice clothes, but they were crumpled and they certainly weren't what he was wearing when he came over. I looked over at Kurt. He was wearing a wrinkled t-shirt that said HOGWARTS. That was the shirt Blaine was wearing when he came over. The only reason I noticed was because of Kurt's criticism of it.

"Mr. Hummel, Finn was just surprised when he walked in and found us... Kissing." Kurt added in "He should have knocked".

"I'm going to need a much better explanation than that, considering you are wearing each others clothes, and I KNOW there is a rule in this house about clothing staying on. And why would he need to knock if there is also a rule about bedroom doors being open. Who knocks on an open door?"

By the time I finished both boys were bright red. Blaine was looking down at his shirt, still confused why he didn't realize he was wearing a different one than he came with. Kurt, for once, was speechless. I looked into the room to see the bed messed up (so unlike Kurt) and the box of condoms I had bought Kurt sitting open on the nightstand. I knew that was a terrible decision. I didn't even know how to begin this discussion. I guess I know why Finn would have passed out... I probably would have too.

"I want you both at the kitchen table in 5 minutes." I ordered as I stomped down the stairs. This was starting to become a habit by now. I stopped and called back up the stairs "Oh, and Blaine? A concussion isn't going to get you out of this talk." I continued into the kitchen, looking for Carol. I found her in the laundry room, and quickly explained the situation. I asked her opinion. As usual, she always knows exactly the right thing to say. "The final word is ultimately yours, Kurt is your son. But they are teenagers now. Things happen, and at least you know they're being safe. And if it helps at all, anyone who spends two minutes in the same room can tell they truly love each other. It may not be such a bad thing." She finished with a look that said she knew what she was talking about. "How'd you find out anyway?"

"Oh! Finn walked in on them."

"Oh my god. How did he take it? Not too badly I hope..."

"He didn't really take it at all, he actually fainted. Don't worry; I made sure he was ok. Just a little shaken up."

"I'll go check in him." Carol ran up the stairs. I could hear her slow down when she reached the top and walked down the hall. I could tell by her foot steps that she passed Finn's room and went to Kurt's. There was some hushed whispering, then the sound of a door quietly opening and closing, and then Carols foot steps to Finn's room. That woman would be the death of me. But I still loved her. Speaking of the death of me, the two boys in question made their way into the kitchen. They were smart enough to come down wearing their original clothing (most likely Carol's suggestion) and to sit across the table from each other (also another Carol move- that woman knew me too well).

"Boys-" I started, but was immediately cut off by Kurt.

"We're really sorry. We promise it won't happen ever again."

This time I got to cut him off.

"Stop right there. We all know that's not true, so I don't want you lying to me. I'm not going to make this any worse than it already is. First off, while I think you are too young for this kind of behavior, I know what it's like to be a teenage boy. Well, a straight teenage boy. I'm guessing it's the same for you guys. Only without a girl to stop you." At this both boys turned beet red. "You're both going to apologize to Finn and make sure nothing like that happens again. Now get out of here. And leave that door wide open. I'll be making room checks randomly and I don't need another heart attack." I can't believe I just said that. I basically gave them permission as long as they didn't get caught. That was probably a mistake. Just like those damn condoms. But at least the house was safer than a dirty hotel room or dark alley.

The boys ran upstairs and I slowly and quietly climbed the stairs to see how apologizing to Finn went. First I heard Carol excuse herself, before coming out to join me on the landing. Kurt decided to start it off.

"Look, Finn, about before..."

Finn quickly jumped into the conversation.

"Dude, all is forgiven, as long as we never ever mention this again. Ever. Please."

"That deal sounds more than amazing." Blaine replied. Finally, as they were leaving Finn spoke one more time.

"It's a deal. But there is no way in the world I am shaking your hand after what I walked in on."

Before I could hear anything else, Carol was dragging me down into the living room to snuggle on the couch. I'm lucky to have her. Without Carol in my life, I'd probably be in prison when they finally found Blaine's body in the backyard.

Prom season is always a popular time for the birds and the bees. Or as is the case in my house, the bees and the bees. I had to worry about Kurt getting harassed at his own prom. And as much as I hate to admit, I was a little worried about Blaine too. He acted tough, but he was smaller than most of the girls in the glee club. I finally started liking him a little more when he took my side against Kurt during the kilt incident. Really, it was just common sense. I'd also prefer if Kurt was wearing pants simply because I know how much easy access a skirt provides. What, just because I'm a dad doesn't mean I'm not also a newlywed.

The night of prom, Carol and I were planning an exciting night of alone time. No boys in the house, dinner without Finn acting like a garbage disposal and a movie without Kurt's comments. After an excellent dinner and the start of some romantic comedy we really weren't watching, we got down to some quality "alone time", which may have been on the living room couch. We were already there, and our room was just so far away. There was a sound of car doors, but it must have been the neighbors, because the boys' curfew wasn't for another 3 hours and we'd be lucky if they were in by then. All of a sudden, the front door opened and in walks Kurt and Blaine. Several things happened at once. Everyone screamed. I was the only one who didn't shriek like a woman. I fell off the couch. Luckily the couch is facing away from the door, so while they knew exactly what we were doing, they didn't actually see anything too specific. Both boys covered their eyes with their hands and ran back outside. Carol and I quickly got dressed and straightened up the living room. Finally, with nothing else to stall with, I opened the front door to find the two boys sitting on the steps.

"You can... Uh... Come inside now if you want to."

"Um... I guess so. We'll just be in my room watching a movie."

"Wasn't the whole glee club going out tonight? You're home early. Really early."

Kurt was hesitant to respond, so Blaine finally did, although he couldn't quite make eye contact with me.

"Prom didn't exactly go too smoothly, so we thought we'd have more fun watching a movie."

"What happened?"

Kurt finally decided to talk, and from his voice, I could tell he'd been crying. "I'd rather not talk about it right now if you don't mind."

"Alright, go watch a movie."

The boys walked past me into the house and Blaine looked ready to burst from laughing.

"Alright, out with it."

"It's nothing sir."

"Just tell me, I promise I won't hold it against you this time. Just this once."

"I was going to say that if you had a concussion we could drive you to the hospital." Blaine let out a laugh as Kurt added in "but neither of us could carry you inside!" and with that they ran up the stairs into Kurt's room, slamming the door. I couldn't help but laugh at that, but yelled up for good measure

"That door better not be closed!" Kurt opened it wide and yelled down.

"You better close your door though. I think I've been turned even gayer!" Then closed the door over so it was only open a crack.

Carol couldn't stop laughing, between the concussion comment and the idea of Kurt being any gayer. We spent the rest of our evening laughing before going to bed after Finn got home. He told us about the prom queen incident, and about how great Blaine was about the whole thing. When I went to check on the boys and tell Blaine it was time to go to the guest room I found them fast asleep cuddled together. After the hellish night they'd been through, I decided to just let them be. It's not like they'd be getting up to that much. Walking in on your parents having sex is pretty much a mood killer for at least 24 hours.

About a week later, I was watching a game with Finn, while Carol sat next to me reading a magazine. Kurt was out with Blaine again. Something about a dinner and a musical at a community theater. Around 9 o'clock, the door bell rang. I didn't know who it could be this late, besides Kurt and he would just walk in. Carol went to get it and came back looking like she was near tears from holding in laughter. Finally she said it was for me. I walked out to see a cop standing there with Kurt and Blaine, both of whom looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"Are you Mr. Hummel?" The officer asked.

"Yes I am. Is there some sort of problem, officer?"

The cop looked nearly as uncomfortable as the boys, almost like he didn't know what to say.

"These two were picked up for indecent exposure and disturbing the peace."

Before I jumped to any conclusions, I wanted to get this straight.

"Can you clarify why they were picked up? Because it just sounds like singing loudly without shirts on. Which, quite frankly, happens more in this house than I'd like to admit."

"No, Mr. Hummel. They were picked up for engaging in sexual acts in a car in a public park."

"Are they under arrest?"

"Not right now. Since they are both minors we decided to just give them a warning and explain to their parents that this kind of behavior can't happen again. When we are finished here, I'll be taking Mr. Anderson home to explain to his parents as well."

At that last line, Blaine face drained of all its color. He had told me about his father on several occasions and Mr. Anderson is not a kind man. Having a cop drop Blaine off at night saying he was caught having gay sex in a car would probably result in a hospital visit. Granted, I sent him to the hospital, but that was an accident. I decided then that I couldn't let that happen to him.

"Officer, if it's possible, can I just take both boys now. I can explain to Blaine's father later, and it would save you the trip to Westerville."

The officer looked skeptical at first, but relented. He seemed relieved that he wouldn't have to explain this a second time tonight.

"Alright Mr. Hummel. Have a good night. And boys, watch your behavior in public from now on."

"Thank you officer." I replied as he handed me a ticket for each boy, before I closed the door.

I followed the boys into the living room to be greeted by Carol and Finn laughing. Finn was actually rolling on the floor. Kurt and Blaine didn't look nearly as nervous as they did when the officer was here. Finally we all started laughing. We couldn't help it. It was pretty hilarious. Finally we all calmed down a bit and I was able to talk again.

"Don't think this is over. You are both in a lot of trouble. You both now owe me $100 for these tickets you got. Kurt, you just lost your car for the week. Finn can drive it since he doesn't have a car right now."

Finn was quickly on his feet.

"Ew! You heard what they were doing in that car! Why would I want to drive it?"

Blaine quietly replied.

"Um, it was my car."

"Sweet! I'll take Kurt's car."

The Finn paused to look at the two of them. "But Blaine's car is so much smaller. Why wouldn't you take Kurt's if that's what you were planning? I know Blaine's short but still..."

"I'm not short!" Blaine yelled back, just as Kurt yelled about not planning it. I knew I should put a stop to this, but Carol beat me to it.

"Ok, First things first. I'm sorry Blaine sweetie, but you are kind of short. But it works for you since you have a big personality. Finn is not getting Kurt's car. Finn is going to get my car to drive himself and Kurt to and from school. I am taking the navigator. And all three boys are grounded. Kurt and Blaine obviously for tonight and Finn for that call I got from coach Sylvester about catching you and that cheerleader in the supply closet. And before you say anything, I can ground Blaine if I want to, since he's here all the time anyway. I think it's time everyone went to bed." And with that she sat down. Everyone sat in silence before slowly making our way upstairs (Blaine was staying over again since it was the weekend). On the way up the stairs I saw Kurt grab Blaine's hand and pull him into his bedroom. I called out to them. "Five minutes and Blaine better be in the guest room. You obviously had enough alone time tonight."

Kurt opened the door and Blaine walked out carrying his overnight bag. "Dad, why can't Blaine just stay in my room? It's not like you don't know what's going on between us. A cop just told you. And actually gave it to you in writing." I had only one response to that. One that I learned from my own father, and I know when Kurt had children of his own, he'll use on them. "My house, my rules."

Kurt rolled his eyes, as he usually did, but turned around and went to bed. I started to walk to my room, but was stopped by Blaine. He looked like he had something really important to say, but didn't know how to. After a few more seconds he started. "Thank you for tonight. You didn't have to do that, but I really appreciate it. I promise it won't happen again."

"I know you're a good kid Blaine, and you make Kurt happy. I guess I have to let some things slide, and I figured your father would appreciate that conversation significantly less than I did. If you don't mind my asking, what does your mother think about all this?"

Blaine looked even more uncomfortable than he did when the cop dropped him off.

"Um... She left my Dad last year and couldn't take me with her. She wanted to, but my dad never let her fill out the duel citizenship papers, and I couldn't move to another country as an American minor without both parents consent."

"You mom isn't from here?"

"No, she's from the Philippines. I think my dad was hitting her too. She had to leave. She didn't want to abandon me here, but she didn't really have another option."

Wow, hated by his father and abandoned by his mother. I'm still surprised by how confidant this kid acts.

"You've always got a place here if you need it. Good night Blaine."

"Good night Mr. Hummel."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm trying to update quickly since I'll be leaving Wednesday night for a week in Florida. If I can get free wifi, I may be able to update, otherwise it will have to wait till I get back. Since I'll be making a stop in the Harry Potter park, I'm sure the Blaine in my head will convince me to work a trip into this story for him, although it won't be for a while since I already have the story mapped out through New Years, and school isn't even over yet for them. Enjoy the story and hopefully I can update one more time before my flight.  
>Also, in case you were wondering, I know there are a lot of sentance fragments and words that aren't really words, but since this a narrative in Burt's perspective, I tried the write the way he speaks.<p>

When June rolled around, Kurt was back at McKinley and he and Finn were off to New York for Nationals. I was looking forward to a weekend alone with Carol, with the house all to ourselves. Thursday and Friday I closed the shop early to make the most of our time together. On Saturday, Carol had the night shift, so I planned a nice evening with some old movies since no good games were on. Around ten o'clock at night, the house phone rang. I immediately picked it up, thinking it was either one of the boys calling from New York, or Carol checking in during her break. What I didn't expect was to hear Blaine on the other end.

"Mr. Hummel? It's Blaine."

"Hi Blaine. Kurt's not here, he's still in New York until tomorrow."

"I know... I just... I shouldn't have bothered you." He sounded really upset at that point. He must really miss Kurt.

"You're not a bother Blaine. Is everything ok?"

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know who else to call." At this point I could tell he was crying. This must be pretty bad; Kurt's the crier in that relationship.

"Are you hurt? Blaine? Tell me where you are and I'll come get you."

"I think so... I don't know... I'm outside the gas station... on the highway by my house in Westerville. It says Raceway, and it's by the traffic light."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Stay in the convenience store where an employee can see you. Don't wait outside alone."

"OK... Thanks Mr. Hummel."

I hung up the phone and ran for my keys. Luckily I didn't need to grab any first aid supplies since Carol made sure all the cars had overstocked kits.

What normally would have taken me 45 minutes took only 25. Good thing there were no cops around.

When I found the gas station and pulled in, I saw someone sitting on the curb.

"Blaine? Is that you?"

I moved a little closer. Judging by the size and the curls sticking out from under the hood it was definitely him. He slowly looked up from where he was sitting and sobbing. I almost fell over when I saw his face. Besides the tears and redness from crying, he was a real mess. One eye was black and the other was starting to swell shut. He had a bruise growing on the side of his jaw, a split lip, and his nose was clearly broken. He looked like he went a few rounds with Mike Tyson. He was also holding his arm carefully against his chest, so that was probably pretty badly hurt too. The front of his shirt was covered in blood, and I hoped it was just from his lip and nose.

I immediately tried to think WWCD (What Would Carol Do- it always helps me in these types of situations).

"First things first. Let's get you out of the rain and someplace safe. Up you go."

I started to help him up, but he immediately recoiled and gasped in pain when I touched his side. Let's add some broken ribs to that list. Instead of helping, I ran over, opened the car door, and then carried Blaine to the car. He was really out of it. I decided on adding a few minutes to our trip to the hospital by going back to Lima. I'm sure Westerville has a great hospital, but Lima has Carol. And I know how to get there.

I could hear when Blaine started to come back around.

"I'm sorry I'm such a bother."

"No you aren't kid. Kurt loves you. That means you're part of the family."

"Thank you for getting me. I didn't know who else to call. Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

"You don't need to do that. I just need some sleep. I'll be fine in the morning."

"We both know that's not true. I'm taking you back to Lima. Carol's working tonight, so she can take a look at you."

Blaine was quiet for a few minutes, so I took the opportunity to call Carol and give her the heads up. I tried not to say too much, since I knew Blaine could hear me. I just gave her the essentials and said I'd explain when we got there.

I pulled into the parking lot and saw Carol waiting by the doors with a wheel chair. I helped Blaine out and ran to move the car to a real spot. When Carol saw Blaine's face she gasped and started to cry a little. She was clearly trying very hard to keep herself from pulling him into a hug. An hour or so later, I was sitting in a hospital room next to Carol while Blaine slept in the bed.

"Did he say what happened? Who did this?"

"Not yet, but I have an idea. I think it was his father. Let's wait till he wakes up and see what he has to say."

"What if it was his father? We can't let him go back there. He'll have to stay with us."

I didn't like the idea of Kurt's boyfriend staying just one room away, but Carol was right. We can't let him go back.

"I don't think we have an option. At least till we figure this situation out."

A few hours later Blaine came to. He was given some pretty strong sedatives before, so he was a little disoriented.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hummel? How did I get here?"

Carol was quickly at his side holding his hand that wasn't in a cast.

"Oh Blaine sweetie. You were beaten up pretty badly last night. You called Burt, so he got you and brought you here. You're going to be okay. You have a few broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a broken nose. You also have another concussion. But nothing is going to cause permanent damage."

"Does my dad know I'm here?"

"No. Do you want me to call him?"

At that point, Blaine sat up so quickly he almost fell out of the bed.

"No! Please don't."

That clinched it for me.

"He did this to you, didn't he?" I practically yelled it. I couldn't believe a father could do this to his own son. Eventually Blaine nodded his head a fraction of an inch. If I wasn't looking for it, I would have missed it.

Carol is always better at dealing with injured kids than me, and this time was no exception. She sat on the edge of his bed and held his hand again. With her other hand she lightly brushed some curls from his face. She's such a great mother even when it isn't her kid.

"Do you want to tell us what happened?"

"I guess so." Then he looked directly at me with pleading eyes. "But you have to promise me you won't tell Kurt. It would tear him apart."

I know I shouldn't have, but I agreed so he would go on with the story.

"Well, I decided it was finally time to tell my dad. About me and Kurt. I know I shouldn't have, considering what happened when I told him I was gay."

Carol, who didn't know the story, asked what happened then.

"Basically this, only not quite as bad. I didn't need the hospital, I just had some bruises. Based on what I feel now, I probably had a broken rib then too."

Carol interrupted again.

"You probably had a few broken ribs. Your chest x-ray showed eight healed fractures, of varying degrees, so probably over several years."

Blaine tilted his head to the side like he was thinking about it.

"I guess that makes sense. I couldn't breathe properly for a while afterwards. I told everyone at school that I fell down the stairs. Back to tonight. I decided it was time to tell my dad. I went into his study to tell him I had a boyfriend. At first he gave me the usual crap about it just being a phase, that if I'd just get a girlfriend, I'd see how ridiculous I was being. Then I told him it wasn't a phase. That I loved Kurt. Then he said 'No son of mine is going to be a faggot' and he hit me in the face. I was so surprised I didn't even defend myself when he hit me again. He got a few kicks in to. Then he told me to get out of his house and never come back again. I walked to the nearest pay phone to call you since I didn't have my cell. And then I woke up here. Please don't tell Kurt. I know him and I know he will somehow make this out to be his fault and I couldn't live with myself if he felt guilty."

"OK, we won't say anything for now, but you should tell him eventually. Secrets always have a way of coming out, and it's better to just tell him yourself. Maybe wait till you're a little better, so he won't immediately be reminded of exactly how bad this was."

Carol took the opportunity to ask Blaine some more questions while he was awake and fairly talkative.

"First off, I have to ask a few medical questions. Do you have any allergies to any medicines? We took a guess to get you to this point, but I wanted to check just in case."

He thought about it for a few minutes and shook his head no.

"Any other serious medical problems or illnesses in the past? Besides those broken ribs we already talked about?"

Blaine replied quickly, taking much less time than he did on the allergy question.

"Um, a few broken bones and sprains. Mostly from sports. My dad would sign me up to make me tougher, but I was the always the smallest guy on the team, which made me an easy target. I also got beat up pretty badly back in my freshman year. I took another boy to a dance, and some guys decided they didn't want us there. They beat us both up pretty badly while we were waiting for his dad to pick us up. I think that time I had 4 broken ribs, and one of them punctured my lung. I also had a concussion then, and a lot of bruises. That was when my parents decided to transfer me to Dalton."

Carol had tears running down her face and kept stroking the back of his hand soothingly. I never realized what he had been through. He always struck me as this confidant kid who acted much older than he was. I guess he had to grow up quickly.

"What happened to the other boy? The one you took to the dance?"

As soon as Carol asked, I knew the answer wasn't good. I could tell from the look on his face.

"Um... He didn't make it... He had a really bad concussion and went into a coma. He never woke up."

At this point both Carol and Blaine were crying, and I was finding it difficult not to. I couldn't help but think about the conversation I had with Carol while Blaine was asleep. If I wasn't sure before, I was positive now. We'd make it work somehow.

"I'm so sorry you've had to go through all this Blaine. We're going to get all your paperwork and medicine together and you're going to come home with us for a while."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm so amazed at the amount of hits this story has gotten (Over 500 visitors!). I'm leaving today for a week in florida, so if I can get free wifi, I'll try to update, or else you're stuck with just this chapter to hold you over. It's a little longer than the last two though, so savor it!  
>Don't be mad at me, it gets better for Blaine, and after this chapter and some of the next it gets much funnier.<p>

The next day I had to go pick the boys up at the airport. Kurt ran out to the car before I could even see Finn. He gave be a quick hug and whispered to me. "We didn't win and it's all sort of Finn's fault, so don't ask how we did. Also, I think he's back with Rachel, and Santana has been trying to kill him. She had to be escorted off the plane by security because she threatened him with a knife. She didn't actually have one on her, but just saying that in a plane gets you in trouble." He finished whispering as Finn walked up to the car. Kurt gave me a bigger hug then and said how much he missed me. Finn said hello quietly and climbed into the back of the car. It really must have been bad if he didn't even try fighting Kurt for the front seat. The ride home was filled with Kurt chattering on about how amazing the city is and what a wonderful trip he had. He didn't even mention the competition. Finally, he quieted down and added something that I was expected since he got in the car.

"I haven't heard from Blaine though. He said he'd call me last night and he never did, and he hasn't answered my calls or texts all day. I hope he's ok."

"Actually, I have to talk to you boys about something. Blaine's at our house."

Kurt was about to start talking, but I put up a hand to stop him. "Let me finish Kurt, then you can say whatever you want. He called last night and I had to go pick him up. He was beaten up pretty badly. He's ok now. I brought him to the hospital and Carol helped him. He'll be staying with us for a little while."

Kurt had tears in his eyes. I'm pretty sure he knew what happened. Finn, on the other hand, was clueless as usual.

"Why wouldn't he just stay home to get better? If some bullies beat him up he could have called home. Not that I'm complaining. He's great and can stay as long as he wants."

"It's a little more complicated than that."

Finally, Kurt spoke for the first time since I told him, but much more quietly than before.

"It was his dad. Wasn't it?"

"Wait, why would his dad do that to him? Why wouldn't his mom stop him? Or take him to the hospital?" Luckily I had this time to explain this to Finn before he could talk to Blaine and make him feel worse. But before I could explain, Kurt beat me to it.

"His mom left last year. His dad was beating her too, so she went home to another country, and Blaine had to stay here. Mr. Anderson isn't accepting of the fact that Blaine's gay. That's why he hits him. And why Blaine spends so much time at our house. Would you want to live in a house where your mom abandoned you and your dad hates you because of something you can't change?" By the end of his little speech, Kurt was practically yelling. I guess Blaine really did tell him everything. It took Finn a few minutes to process everything.

"Wait... Does that mean Blaine's from another country?" Leave it to Finn to ease the tension.

Kurt was out of the car before it came to a full stop. I probably should have warned him about how bad Blaine's face looked. I have a strong stomach, and I found I was having a problem. At least we already knew the routine for dealing with a concussion. Kurt didn't leave Blaine's side except to go to the bathroom, and even then he kept it short. I knew we had a tough conversation coming up, and I knew I had to have it soon.

"Blaine can I talk to you for a minute?" I looked towards Kurt and added "alone."

Kurt looked upset about it, but started to stand up from where he was sitting. But Blaine grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"If it's possible, I'd rather Kurt stayed with me. I'll just tell him everything later anyway."

At least he was being honest.

"Alright, you can stay Kurt. But I don't want any comments from you unless I ask for your opinion. Deal?"

Kurt looked right at me and zipped his mouth shut and made an exaggerated motion of handing Blaine the imaginary key, which he promptly put in his pocket. They were so dorky sometimes. They were both smiling, although Blaine's was more of a pained grimace.

"Blaine, you know you are welcome here as long as you want. Carol and I talked it over, and if you want to stay and be a part of this family, you are more than welcome. But first you need to figure out what's going to happen with your dad. We need to let the police know what happened. He can't get away with doing this to you."

"I appreciate your concern, but calling the police really won't do anything but make him mad. He's a high profile criminal lawyer. He knows every judge and police chief in the state. He'd just get away with this just like he did when my mom tried to call the cops. That's why she had to leave."

Wow... I wasn't expecting that. I guess I knew he had to have some important job to afford Dalton tuition, but this really threw a wrench in the plan.

"Do you think he'd sign that paper to transfer custody?"

I said the first thing that popped into my head. I don't know if it was the right thing to say or not, because Blaine started to tear up.

"I'm sorry. I just can't seem to stop crying these past few hours. Are you sure you'd really want to do that for me?"

He looked like he knew it was too good to be true. Like any minute I would pull the offer away and kick him out.

"Of course Blaine. You're sort of part of this family already. Why not make it easier for you to stay here and safe. You can transfer to McKinley, Kurt's been fine there since Karofsky got straightened out, and Finn's there to keep an eye on you too."

"I... I think he would... Sign the papers. He said he didn't want me to come back, so I don't see why he wouldn't make that official." He replied shakily.

"OK. I'm going to take a ride over there."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea. I don't want you to get hurt too."

At that I chuckled. "I know how to hold my own. In fact, if it makes you feel better I'll bring Finn and Puck for back up."

How bad could this guy be? Blaine's shorter than Carol; his father probably wouldn't be much bigger.

An hour later I was in the pick up with Finn and Puck. Finn had called Puck to tell him what was going on, and Puck was more than happy to come along as hired muscle. When we pulled up to the house, Finn let out a whistle.

"I never knew he was loaded!"

I wouldn't have put it as bluntly as Finn did, but it was a gigantic house.

I walked up the path to the door to ring the door bell. Finn and Puck stayed a few feet behind me. When I saw the man that opened the door, I was immediately glad I brought the two boys with me. Blaine clearly did not get his size from his father. The man that answered the door could have easily taken me in a fight. It made me even more mad to realize he would beat up a kid Blaine's size.

"Mr. Anderson? My name's Burt Hummel. I'm here to talk to you about your son Blaine."

The man's eyes went wider and his frown turned into a snarl.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I have no son!" He then went to slam the door, but I wasn't going to let that happen. Not yet anyway.

"Then just make it legal and sign his custody over to me and you'll never have to worry about him bothering you again."

He seemed to think about it for a minute. Then he did something I didn't expect. He smiled. It was nothing like Blaine's smile. It was like a crocodile who was about to eat you. He stepped back and opened the door a little wider inviting us in.

"I see you brought some extra muscle with you in case things got out of hand. So which one of you boys is the fag? The one my son would give up his family for?"

Neither boy knew how to respond to that. Finally I spoke up.

"I'd prefer of you didn't use language like that. This is my son Finn and his friend Puck. My son Kurt is the one dating your son. He's home with my wife taking care of Blaine, who isn't in good shape after what you did to him last night."

"He deserved it."

Before I could make the situation any worse I decided to just get to the point instead of arguing with this ass.

"Are you willing to sign over Blaine's custody to me? Or are we going to have to get the cops involved?"

The man seemed to think about it and finally responded.

"I'll have my secretary send them over in the morning." He got up and walked into the other room. He came back with a folder of paperwork.

"I legally can't keep this from him, and I'd rather the media not get involved. This is Blaine's inheritance. I can't write him out of the estate now. He can collect it when he turns 18."

Finn spoke next, which surprised me.

"Can we get some of his stuff for him?"

Mr. Anderson gave us a cold glare then pointed us to Blaine's room saying we had 15 minutes before we had to be out of his house. We didn't think we'd get this, but we were hoping, so we came prepared. Puck ran out to the truck to grab the few bags and boxes we brought with us. We went up to Blaine's room and began grabbing stuff to put in the boxes. Finn pulled out a list of things Blaine had asked for if we got the chance. Mostly just photos and his guitar. I opened drawers and the closet and randomly threw in clothing, Puck grabbed all the pictures. After 14 minutes we were back in the car. I must say, we made short work of his room and had it mostly emptied. Finn got out of the car and ran back to the house. I thought he forgot something, but then I saw what he was thinking a second before he did it. He pulled back his fist and punched Mr. Anderson right in the face. His nose started spouting blood as Finn ran to the car and dove into the back seat as we drove away.

"You really shouldn't have done that Finn. I really wanted to, but I didn't want to risk him not signing the paperwork."

"I didn't think of that..."

We laughed all the way back to Lima.

The next morning, we got a call asking us to come down to the county courthouse, with Blaine, to sign all the paperwork. We all piled in the navigator (My truck was still filled with all of Blaine's stuff). We got to the court house and started to walk in when Blaine stopped dead. He must have seen his dad's car and didn't realize he would have to be here too. We walked into the building and were directed to a judge's office. Once we entered the room I saw Mr. Anderson chatting with the judge. I guess Blaine was right about that part. The judge looked at us and immediately looked concerned when he saw Blaine's cast and bruised face. He probably didn't know the whole story.

"Ok, let's get this show on the road! Mr. Anderson, you need to sign this form. Mrs. Hummel, you need to sign this form." Carol and I decided that she should be legal guardian of Blaine, rather than both of us. We already knew that Kurt and Blaine would end up getting married and they would have enough difficulty doing that without adding the fact that they were legally brothers. He handed each of them a form and a pen, and when they were done took them back, looked them over and smiled. "Well, that's all in order. Bill, you're free to go." It took me a second to realize Blaine's dad's name is Bill. He never actually introduced himself. 'Bill' walked out of the room without so much as glancing at Blaine. The judge turned to us and smiled. "Congratulations! It's a boy!"

We didn't seem to see the humor in the situation, but we were happy anyway. Carol brought Blaine into a hug as we started to leave. But the judge wasn't quite done.

"Blaine. Did your father give your inheritance paperwork? Because legally that's yours no matter what."

"Yes. He gave it to Mr. Hummel yesterday."

"Have you looked at it yet?"

"No, I've been kind of distracted, what with having the crap beaten out of me and being kicked out of my home." Blaine snapped back at the judge. I couldn't believe he would say that to a judge, but I guess he had a right to after all he's been through. He stormed out of the office, quickly followed by Kurt. We thanked the judge and walked outside to find the boys leaning against the car. No one really knew what to say. Finally Carol decided to break the tension.

"Who wants pancakes?"

"I could definitely go for some!"

Finn practically shouted. Kurt was the first to respond to him.

"We just had breakfast. How are we supposed to eat pancakes?"

The way Carol responded made it seem like the most obvious answer in the world.

"Because pancakes make everything better!"

I was slowly starting to see where Finn got his eating habits from. They closely match Carol's cooking habits.

"I could eat some pancakes too..." Blaine replied tentatively.

"You're just as bad as Finn!" Kurt said to him as we all climbed into the car.

The ride home was much better than the car ride there. About halfway back, Blaine finally asked a question that was clearly bothering him for a while.

"Mr. Hummel?"

"You can call me Burt. You're officially part of the family now. Like it or not, you're one of my kids."

Blaine smiled and it lit up his face even though it wasn't a pretty sight with all the bruising.

"OK, Burt. Does anyone care to tell me why my father had a black eye?"

Oh crap. Probably should have mentioned that earlier. After a minute of awkward silence, Finn finally fessed up.

"Um... That would be my fault. After we grabbed your stuff, I ran back in the house. I was just so mad that he could do that to you, and it clearly wasn't a fair fight. He's like three times your size. How could you defend yourself against that? And then that stuff he said about you deserving it. I just couldn't stand it anymore, so I punched him in the face. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Blaine just looked at him for a minute than lean across the backseat to give him an awkward, one armed hug.

"Thank you"

Later on that day, we began to set up Blaine's new room. It was practically his already, since it's the guest room he's been staying in most weekends for the last few months. Finn, Kurt and I carried everything upstairs, since Blaine couldn't lift anything because of the broken ribs and the cast. Then Kurt helped Blaine "decorate". Luckily we had the bed and dresser, so we didn't need to buy anything. Kurt wanted to repaint the room to a new color scheme that matched Blaine's eyes, but Blaine beat me to talking him out of that one. I think he felt guilty about imposing; he certainly wouldn't want us to go through the trouble of painting the room.

After an hour or two, I went up to see how things were going. Kurt was folding clothes and putting them in a dresser while Blaine was passed out on the bed. The room looked completely transformed and the walls were covered mostly in pictures. Some were pictures of Blaine and Kurt, others of a group of boys in Dalton uniforms. There was one picture in a frame with Blaine and a beautiful (but short) woman. It must have been his mother. He was much younger, but still looked the same. Only he had his hair curly.

"He talks about her once in a while." Kurt must have noticed me looking at the photo. "He really misses her. It was so tough losing mom, but I can't imagine how much worse it would have been if she chose to leave us."

I didn't really know how to respond to that. I still had some trouble talking about Elizabeth.

"It's getting late Kurt. Maybe you should head to bed. We've had a long day."

He stood there, hesitating a little. I already knew what he was going to ask, but I was waiting for him to ask anyway.

"Um... Dad... Can I stay in here tonight with Blaine? I promise no funny business. He has a few broken ribs and can't breathe anyway. That way I can be on concussion duty tonight too! You and Carol have had a long few days too." He looked really hopeful. I looked over to realize Blaine had woken up. He looked at me and spoke.

"If it's ok, I'd feel a lot better with Kurt in the room. We don't even have to sleep in the same bed! I can sleep on the floor. Kurt can have the bed."

"Absolutely not!"

Both boys looked shocked, but I continued quickly.

"You cannot sleep on the floor. Between all your injuries I'm pretty sure DYFS would take you away before we had you for a whole day! I guess you can stay in here for a couple nights, until Blaine starts to get better. But don't get too used to it. Once Blaine is all better, I'll probably lock your doors from the outside and set mouse traps in the hallway."

I was met with two excited faces.

"Thanks Dad!"

"Thanks Burt!"

"Now go to bed. It's been a long day."

Breakfast on Tuesday started out nice until Carol told Finn to get ready for school. Finn immediately started to complain since Kurt and Blaine were both staying home.

"How come they get to stay home and I don't?"

"We let you stay home yesterday because a lot was going on and you had just been away for almost a week. Blaine is on bed rest for at least two weeks. We decided to let Kurt stay home this week because Blaine can't be alone with his concussion and Burt and I both have to go to work." Carol finished explaining to Finn.

He was quick to point out the injustice.

"I know why Blaine gets to stay home, but why can't I stay home and make sure Blaine doesn't die. No offense dude."

"None taken Finn." Blaine added.

"I could keep an eye on him and Kurt can go to school. We can alternate!"

"We're letting Kurt stay home because he has all A's and is responsible enough to keep up with his work. We're working on getting Blaine's make up work from Dalton. There's no point in starting Blaine's transfer to McKinley until after school ends since he can't go for the last two weeks anyway."

"Fine." Finn mumbled as he walked away. He couldn't argue that Kurt got good grades and he was just barely passing. Mostly because of Kurt's help. Once Finn left the kitchen table, Blaine turned to talk to Kurt. He had to turn his whole body since he couldn't just twist the top half because of his broken ribs.

"Kurt... I was wondering if you'd be able to go to Dalton one day this week. I know it's kind of far, but I can't go. Since you had most of the same teachers, maybe you could explain and get my work for the end of the year. I'd like to end with good grades so I can get into upper level classes at McKinley. I also haven't said anything to any of the warblers yet. They'll be wondering where I am. I hate to ask this of you, after all you've done for me, but I can't really leave the house."

Kurt agreed after getting permission from me and decided to go that morning, since he could be home before Carol had to leave for work at noon. Even with traffic, Blaine wouldn't be alone for more than an hour. Before he left, I called the school to speak to the headmaster and give him a heads up. I don't think I'd believe this story if a 16 year old told me.

After a long day at the shop, I got home to find Kurt in the kitchen wearing an apron making dinner. This was another reason I agreed to letting Kurt stay home this week. I loved Carol very much and since we got married, she has done all the cooking. But for the 8 years before that, Kurt did all the cooking, and I kind of missed it. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat at the counter to watch him cook.

"So how'd the trip to Dalton go?"

He continued to stare at the pan of sauce he was stirring, but started to talk.

"Better than I was expecting. I was able to talk to the headmaster and get all of Blaine's work from his teachers. They were all pretty upset when they heard what happened to him, a few gave some assignments that need to be returned by the last day of school, but most said they could give him a final grade based on his previous work. I cleared out his locker, which was mostly books and back up hair gel. The hardest part was telling the Warblers. Some of them even cried... The straight ones! Wes and David took it the hardest since they're his closest friends. Wes didn't cry till he heard Blaine would be transferring to McKinley and would be the competition now. They were mad they weren't told earlier, but then I explained about Blaine not having a phone anymore."

I interrupted as a remembered something.

"That reminds me, we'll call the phone company and add Blaine on and get him a new phone. There really isn't a rush since he can't leave the house for a while anyway."

"Thanks Dad. For everything. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Blaine anymore. I still can't believe his own dad would do that to him."

"I don't either kid." I stood up and clapped my hands together. "What can I do to help with dinner?"

"You can set the table. There's nothing for you to burn that way."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: It's slow and limited, but I was able to find free wifi! This is one of my favorite chapters so far, since you get to meet some of New Directions and the Warblers.  
>Disney and the HP park are great, and the best part is, it's so much warmer here than back in the Northeast.<br>Enjoy!

The next few weeks passed without any major problems. All the boys passed all their classes (Finn just scraping by in a few). Carol and I decided to celebrate by taking everyone out to dinner.

We went to Breadstix, since they had an all you can eat special, and between Finn and Blaine, that was the money saving option. That was something we didn't learn about Blaine until he started to get better. He could match Finn plate for plate in an eating competition. So even though Kurt complained about "a carb buffet for the uneducated pallet", we went to the $8.95 all-you-can-eat pasta special. Kurt got only one plate, Carol got two and I got three. I didn't really want it and I was full, but I didn't want to be shown up so badly by two of my boys. I shouldn't have bothered. I couldn't come close. Finn finally stopped at 5 plates, but Blaine became the reigning Breadstix champ by finishing his sixth plate. Eating was the one physical activity at which Blaine could beat Finn. I don't know where he put it; he was as skinny as Kurt.

Once we got home, everyone went their separate ways. Now that Blaine was healthy enough for physical activities, I made sure everyone was in their own beds at every night. Blaine wasn't really the problem. I think he was too grateful for us taking him in and afraid of getting kicked out. As it turns out, Kurt was the problem. He's the one I caught sneaking in or out of Blaine's room several times. When caught, Blaine was always scared straight (not literally, of course) and on his best behavior for a few days afterwards.

On my way around for "bed checks", as the boys started to call it (or "Nazi prison camp bed checks" as Kurt calls it), I found Blaine waiting up to talk to me.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, sir?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the kid.

"Of course, you can talk to me anytime you need to. But you really have to stop that sir nonsense."

"Ok, Burt. I wanted to thank you for all you've done for me. After only one month of living here, this is already more of a home to me than my father's house ever was. I also wanted to let you know I plan on paying you back for all you've given me. I know how much money I must be costing you."

"You don't need to worry about that Blaine. We aren't expecting anything. You aren't staying here as a guest. You live here now. You're one of our kids, and we'll take care of you."

"That means so much to me to hear that. But next year I'll be 18 and can collect my inheritance and I plan on paying you back. And taking care of Kurt for the rest of our lives. I know were young, but I know we'll end up together. I can just tell."

"That's a nice gesture, but hold on to your inheritance. You can use it to pay part of your college tuition."

At this point, he looked down at his hands turned pink.

"It's a lot more than my college tuition. And Kurt's and Finn's too. It's from my grandmother, who was the only person in my family who was ok with my being gay. That's why she wrote it into her will that I get it when I turn 18, regardless of what my father says. If I got it when she died, my dad wouldn't have let me have it."

That's nice he had at least one family member who cared about him. Too bad she's not around anymore. Colleges now a days can cost $40,000 a year. I know Blaine had a nice house, but how much could his family have had put away?

"That was very thoughtful of her. So how much is it, if you don't mind my asking? You kids aren't great with money. What you think will pay for college and support you is probably a lot less than it would actually take. You can probably get some scholarships to make up the difference."

He looked down at his hands again and turned even redder than before.

"It'saboutfourmilliondollars..."

He spoke very quickly, but I'm pretty sure I heard the word million in there.

"You're going to have to slow down if you expect me to understand you."

He sighed and looked right at me.

"I just looked through that folder you gave me. It says I get four million dollars when I turn 18 next year."

"Wow. That would certainly pay for college."

At that point we both started to laugh. Then I thought of something.

"Wait... I thought you were 16. When is your birthday?"

"June 26th."

"But you were already here then. Why didn't you tell us? We could have had a party. Or at least a cake."

"I didn't want to bother anyone. You had already done so much for me. You gave me a home and a family. I didn't want a party. I was still bed ridden anyway."

"You know what the big problem is though?"

He looked confused. Then he figured it out. I could almost see the idea hit him.

"Kurt is going to kill me. He loves party planning. When we first started going out he asked when my birthday was. I just said June. He must have forgotten with everything else going on. He's going to be pissed when he finds out I didn't tell him it was my birthday. Can you not mention it? He'll be mad if I don't tell him myself."

"I'll let it slide for now. I won't say anything to Kurt until he asks. But you'll have to tell him the truth eventually. I'd get it over with. Like ripping off a band-aid. It'll just get worse the longer you wait."

"OK. I'll just tell him. I don't like having secrets between us. We share everything."

I figured that much out by now.

"Good night Blaine."

"Good night Burt."

The next morning I heard yelling coming from Kurt's room. I knew it couldn't be good because I could tell Kurt reached the point where the frequency of his voice went up every few words. I wondered who was suffering his wrath this morning. Then I heard the word birthday. I guess Blaine really couldn't keep anything from Kurt.

A few minutes later Kurt stomped down the stairs.

"Dad. Did you know we missed Blaine's birthday? He was living here and didn't even tell us it was his birthday. I need to plan a party for this weekend. Is it ok if I have some people over? I was thinking New Directions and some Warblers. And if it's ok, could it possibly be a sleep over?"

Man, he plans fast. I guess it wouldn't hurt. Both boys had been through so much this past year, I guess they could have a small party.

"I don't see why not. But I don't want any drinking. I'm checking Puckerman's bag when he gets here."

Kurt's face lit up with a smile and he ran out of the room yelling "Thanks Dad" over his shoulder. Saturday night I was rethinking my decision. Carol and I agreed (Well, Carol told me we agreed) that the boys were responsible enough to have the house to themselves for a while.

While we went out to dinner, they were having a belated birthday party for Blaine. We'd be back by the sleepover portion, for the ones that were staying. Before we left, a few of Blaine's friends from Dalton (they must have been since I didn't recognize them) came up to me and thanked me for taking him in. They introduced themselves as Wes and David. They seemed to know how bad it was at Blaine's house. Apparently, when he wasn't staying at our house on the weekends, he was with one of them most of the week. I think he avoided being home as much as he could.

We went out to dinner, telling the boys we'd be back in a few hours and the house better still be standing.

Before leaving, I pulled Mercedes aside. She's been having sleepovers at our house since her and Kurt were in 2nd grade. (They stopped for a while in high school when Mercedes smashed Kurt's windshield, but they resolved their differences.) I probably trusted her most out of all the kids visiting.

"Hey Mr. H. It's really cool of you to let Kurt throw Blaine this awesome birthday party. And thanks for letting some of us stay over."

"No problem Mercedes. You know you're always welcome here. But I have a big favor to ask. While I'm not here, can you keep an eye on Kurt and Blaine? You know, make sure they aren't out of the room at the same time... And missing for a while..."

"Oh, I got you Mr. H. No alone time while you're out. You can count on me!"

"And make sure they are in separate sleeping bags tonight?"

"I'll do my best, but once I'm asleep, you could run a lawn mower next to me and I won't wake up."

I did know that, but she was my best ally in that room

"I remember back in 2nd grade, Kurt running into the kitchen saying you died in your sleep because he couldn't wake you up. He couldn't stop crying until you woke up."

"I'll do my best. Enjoy dinner!"

"I will. Enjoy the party."

As we walked away from the house, I really hoped it would still be standing when we returned. Dinner was very nice, but we skipped dessert to avoid staying out longer than absolutely necessary. Besides, there was cake at home. And Kurt would be distracted enough to not notice how much I had.

We pulled up to the house to find it as we left it... Shockingly. I could hear singing from the front lawn, but at least that was better than drunk partying. Carol and I walked in and saw the house was still decent. Most of the kids were either in the living room or the basement. I noticed the TV from Finn's room was now next to the one in the living room, so 8 boys could crowd around and play video games all at once. Finn and puck were on a team with two warblers, and Artie and Mike were on the other team with two other warblers. That meant the girls were in the basement. Well, the girls and the gay boys that is. I walked down the basement stairs to hear the singing getting louder. I didn't realize I was interrupting a "diva off". It was Kurt and Rachel on one side, facing off against Blaine and Wes. There was a dry erase board with the scores. While the two boys won the "top 40" category, Kurt and Rachel had won ballads and duets. Judging by what I was hearing, they'd win Broadway as well. And judging by Blaine's face, he knew he lost. I waited till they were finished their song to speak.

"Sounds great kids, but I could hear you from the driveway. You need to lower the volume before the neighbors call the cops."

Rachel walked towards me and I knew this wasn't going to be good. It was never good when Rachel got in to lecture mode.

"Mr. Hummel! You can't ask us to silence our creativity. That is the worst thing you could do to a developing young adult. It could impair us for the rest of our lives as performers. My two dads never kept me from expressing myself and you can clearly see what a positive influence that has had on my career as a performer. Maybe if you allowed a creative outlet in your house I would have more competition for glee club solos."

I couldn't even respond to that. I've gotten to the point where I can't stand Rachel Berry. She and Finn are on again, off again, and I'm not really sure what they are right now. Carol isn't really a fan either, but she's better at keeping track of Finn's relationships. I'm guessing they are currently together, or she probably wouldn't be here. Kurt hasn't liked Rachel since she tried to steal Blaine away from him. Blaine doesn't like her because in his exact words "she tried to eat my face". I walked upstairs without responding to Rachel, yelling over my shoulder.

"Just keep the volume down!"

I went back upstairs to find Carol trying to clean up the kitchen. It looked like lions ate in there.

"Just leave it. We can make the boys clean it in the morning. It's their party; they can deal with the aftermath."

"I guess so; I just wanted to get ahead of it."

"Come on. Let's go watch a movie upstairs. Leave the kids to their party."

We went upstairs to watch some lifetime movie that was on. It was pretty terrible and we spent most of the time laughing about it. If we didn't have a house full of teenagers, we would have watched it as a drinking game, a shot every time some cries or says something cliché. We would have been completely drunk. When the movie was over, I went downstairs to check on the kids. Finn was still playing video games with the glee club boys, but most of the warblers had left.

"OK boys, have a good night. Don't make it too late."

They continued a very intense game without showing any sign of hearing me. Then there was a noise that got them to pay attention. It caught my attention too. It was a very high pitched shriek. It made me think of the shower scene in "Psycho" where the girl gets stabbed repeatedly.

"I better go check on the girls. That didn't sound good."

I walked downstairs to find all the girls (and Kurt and Blaine) sitting in a circle arguing.

"OK ladies, you can't be shrieking like that. You might break some of Carol's crystal glasses."

Everyone started giggling, except for Blaine, who turned red. Mercedes was the first to stop laughing and respond to me.

"Mr. H, it wasn't one of the girls who shrieked."

Santana spoke next from her spot next to Blaine.

"It was Blaine. I'm pretty sure Kurt's not the gayest person in the room anymore. Apparently Blaine is allergic to lady parts."

"You threw a tampon into my hair! Do you have any idea how disgusting that is?" Blaine yelled at her.

"It was in a wrapper, and it's not my fault your hair acts like a giant ball of Velcro."

I was having a hard time not laughing myself, but I did feel bad for Blaine. He wasn't used to Kurt's "Girl's Night" sleepovers.

"Alright. I'm going back upstairs. Let's keep all personal hygiene items to ourselves. And all lady parts should stay covered." Then I looked right at Kurt. "And any other parts that should be covered need to stay covered. And Blaine, please keep the shrieking to a minimum. Good night."

The next morning, I walked downstairs to find everyone still asleep. The boys were passed out all over the living room. Finn was sprawled across a chair with each of his limbs falling off a different side since he was so tall. Artie was out of his chair and on the couch, but mike was sleeping in the wheelchair. I didn't see Puck at first, but then I found him sleeping in the fireplace. That one is going to require an explanation when he wakes up. I headed downstairs to see what kind of destruction was down there. I found Santana and Brittany cuddled together on one end of the couch with the pregnant cheerleader on the other end (she's not pregnant any more, but I don't remember her name). Rachel was alone on the love seat in a pink sleeping bag covered in gold stars. Tina was in a sleeping bag behind the love seat. And in the middle of the floor it looked like Mercedes tried her hardest by making sure her sleeping bag was between Kurt's and Blaine's. Unfortunately, she was a deep sleeper, because Kurt and Blaine were now in one sleeping bag together, Kurt's laying abandoned on the other side of Mercedes. I walked over and quietly shook the two boys awake, making sure not to wake anyone else in the room. They both looked up at me, confusion on their faces.

"Care to explain?"

They looked at each other and realized that they were sharing one sleeping bag and I had caught them that way. Blaine tried to explain for once, since it was usually Kurt making excuses.

"We were cold?"

"You two need to get out of there right now and start respecting my rules."

At this point, a few girls started to wake up. Kurt noticed them staring and lowered his voice to respond to me

"Um... Ok... But I'm going to need a minute..."

"What do you mean you need a minute? You're already awake."

"Um... It's kind of personal..."

Then Santana shouted across the room.

"He means after spending the night pressed up against his smoking hot boy toy he doesn't want all of us seeing his morning wood."

Kurt blushed deeply and covered his face with his pillow. Luckily Blaine responded to her, because I was left speechless.

"Look who's talking. You weren't nearly as quiet as you think you were last night with your girlfriend!"

That one threw me for a loop. I thought Santana had sex with Finn. And Puck. Carol would certainly find this news interesting.

"That's it. I want everyone upstairs and presentable in ten minutes."

Breakfast was very awkward. Puck didn't remember getting into the fire place, but I would later find out he was the first to fall asleep and was moved there by the other boys. Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Brittany all sat quietly, clearly mad. Mercedes was quite happy and asking everyone what was wrong. She had slept through the whole ordeal downstairs, as well as the argument that ensued after I left. Apparently quite a few heated words were exchanged between Blaine and Santana.

Later on that day, after all the kids had gone home, and our boys were finishing up with the cleaning, I finally got a chance to compare notes with Carol. She was surprised to hear about Santana and Britney, but not surprised about how I found Kurt and Blaine. That's when I got the full story.

Apparently I'm not the only one who's caught them in each others rooms. Based on our calculations, and factoring a few times not getting caught, it looked like they were spending almost every night in the same bed. It was time I set things straight... Well... You know what I mean. Just before I could call the boys in, Carol stopped me.

"Burt, calm down and think about it for a minute. I've never caught them doing anything but sleeping. Have you?"

I don't respond to her, mainly because I know she's right. She's always right.

"After all they have been through this past year, maybe all the really need is someone next to them through the night. I think we should just let them continue. Don't mention it; just go about business as usual. Sometimes all you need is to know you aren't alone."

I guess she had a point. Neither of them had it easy.

"I guess you're right. I'll let it slide for now, but if the behavior escalates, or we start hearing inappropriate noises, do you agree to let me run in their with a baseball bat?"

She smiled, but finally agreed.

"Fine Burt, you can run in with a baseball bat. But who are you going to threaten with it? They're both your sons now."

Damn. Why does she always have to be right?


	6. Chapter 6

After a while, things sort of fell into a routine and it was like Blaine had always been a part of the family. Summer was nearing a close and the boys had just over a week left until school started.

This year, the glee club was having a week of "camp", which basically meant my house was empty from 9-5 all week. Business was slow, so I decided to close up shop early and head home. Maybe surprise Carol by having dinner made when she got home. It should have been easy with the house all to myself. When I pulled into the driveway at 2:30, I realized I wasn't going to be alone. It looked like the boys were home from glee camp early. I walked up to the front door and was surprised to find it locked, but pulled out my keys and opened the door. I walked in expecting to see Finn on the couch playing video games, or the boys watching movies. I was met with silence. But it didn't last long. It was broken by a scream coming from upstairs. I immediately started up the stairs, until I heard something follow the scream.

"Oh my God! Don't stop Kurt!" Blaine said loudly, followed by another scream and a whole lot of bouncing bed springs. I immediately ran down the stairs and out to the front yard. I didn't really know what to do. Rather than deal with the situation at hand, I decided to give myself a minute to calm down and them a minute to... Finish.

I decided on a walk around the block to clear my head before I murdered any teenagers today. I guess I really couldn't stop them at this point in their relationship, and they did think they would be alone for a few hours. But they are still teenagers living in my house. Damn. Where is Carol when I need her to tell me what to do? (Don't tell her I said that.) I also got to thinking about what I heard. I always just sort of assumed Kurt was the... well... girl in the relationship. I didn't realize he was the "top" as those painfully embarrassing pamphlets described. I was surprised to feel a little proud.

I got back to the house and opened my car door. I made sure to slam it shut before "accidentally" hitting the horn. Might as well give them some warning this time. I fumbled with my keys and took my time loudly unlocking the door and going inside. I walked in to silence (which is better than screaming), but then heard hushed voices coming from Kurt's room. All of a sudden, Kurt came out of his room (fully dressed, thank god!) and looked over the banister down the stairs.

"You're home early Dad! We just got home a few minutes ago. Glee club got out early today."

So that's how he's going to play it. I could make this painfully awkward if I wanted to. And I think I wanted to. But I chose to give him that false sense of security. It would be funnier to bring up during dinner anyway.

"That's good they give you a break some times. Where are Finn and Blaine?"

"Finn had to stay after, at Rachel's insistence, to work on their duet. Blaine and I were going to practice in my room."

I could hear Blaine giggle and Kurt kicked his door closed with his foot before I could hear anything else.

"Ok Kurt, I'll just be in the living room watching the game."

Blaine then stuck his head (of thoroughly messy curls) out of Kurt's room.

"What game?"

"No one that great. The season hasn't even started yet."

Blaine looked interested, but Kurt spoke up first.

"Ok Dad, we'll just be up in my room."

"That door better be left open!" I shouted up the stairs before he got a chance to slam it. Dinner was going to be awkward.

I decided on spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, since it was one of the only dishes I was capable of making without assistance. Once Finn and Carol both got home I laid out the table and called everyone down for dinner. I paid close attention to Blaine and my suspicions were confirmed. He sat down very gingerly and still winced.

"So boys, how was glee camp today?"

Finn started first, very eager to talk about his duet with Rachel.

"It was actually pretty great. I got a solo with Rachel, Kurt and Blaine got one too. By the way, where'd you guys go? Mr. Shue was wonder-"

There were two loud thumps from under the table. Both Kurt and Blaine had kicked Finn to stop him from elaborating.

"Ow, what was that for?"

Then I heard Kurt mumble something that included Finn and clueless.

Blaine cleared his throat and tried to cover up what Finn had said.

"We came back here to practice since it's difficult to hear our own thoughts, let alone our voices, over the sound of Rachel's massive ego."

There must have been an issue at practice that prompted the boys leaving in the first place. But I still had my plan to complete before I could feel sorry for the boys, so I started the ball rolling.

"I'm sure you've had a lot of practice. In fact, I could hear how loud you were practicing when I got home. It was so loud I decided to go for a walk and come back later, since you seemed so involved with practicing you didn't hear me the first time I came in..."

Kurt immediately turned bright red while Blaine paled to white. It was actually pretty funny. I was slowly becoming less mad, and quickly deciding I was going to enjoy tormenting them.

Finn joined in on the conversation, helping me, even if he didn't know what he was talking about. "You guys must be great by now! Especially with all that extra practice!"

Both boys were still silent, looking horrified at their plates. By now, Carol had caught on, based on their reactions, even though Finn still hadn't. Carol helped me out a bit.

"I'd love to hear your duet. It must be amazing if you've had all afternoon to practice."

"What song are you doing?" Finn asked excitedly.

"Um... We're doing... that song... by that... guy... Um... I forget." Kurt said in a manner very unlike his own, and much more like Finn.

"How could you practice all day and not know what song you're supposed to sing. Whatever you were doing, I don't think you were doing it right." Finn replied with a slightly accusing tone. I can't believe he still hasn't caught on. Carol gave me a look that said this has gone on long enough. I gave her my puppy dog eyes (hey- Kurt had to get them from somewhere), and silently begged to continue. She nodded her head slightly but gave me a look that said I only had a little while longer till she intervened.

"It sounded like Kurt was doing something right. Blaine seemed very vocal about that."

Now Blaine went from white as a sheet to redder than Kurt. If that was even possible. But then he finally spoke.

"May I please be excused?"

"Sorry, but I don't think so. Don't we have rules in this house about you two being home alone, in the same room, with the door closed?"

Finn finally caught on to what happened.

"Wait, you got home and found them doing it?"

Finn was once again kicked underneath the table. I decided to intervene on Finn's behalf.

"Ok, you two stop kicking Finn under that table. I can hear it every time, so you really aren't being subtle about it."

Carol giggled a little and raised her hand up.

"That may have been me that last time." I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"That's it. Everyone go to your rooms!" All three boys started to walk up the stairs, but not before Finn tried protesting.

"Why do I have to go to my room, just because Blaine's a screamer and Kurt can't keep it in his pants?"

Carol smacked him in the back of the head and said

"That's why!"

Based on hand holding I saw, I decided to add something.

"Your own rooms!"

I went back to the table and sat down with my head in my hands.

"What am I going to do with them?"

Like I said before, Carol always knows what to say.

"They're teenagers. What do you expect? We're the same age. You can't have a 17 year old at 35 years old and say you didn't have sex in high school. I had Finn exactly nine months after my high school graduation. Christopher was scheduled for boot camp two days after school got out."

"Kurt was born 5 months after graduation. Elizabeth told me she was pregnant the night our prom. Luckily she wasn't showing till after graduation."

We smiled sadly at each other. We loved each other dearly, but it's still difficult to talk about our dead spouses.

"Let me go talk to the boys. You did enough damage during dinner."

"Thanks Carol."

She walked upstairs, and a minute later I tiptoed up to hear what was being said. I know, it probably makes me a terrible person, but I had to know. She was in Kurt's room first.

"I know sweetie, he's not really that upset, more surprised. Maybe you two could just be a little less touchy-feely for the next few days. And be a little more careful next time. I don't know how many more awkward sex talks his heart can take. Just make sure you are both in your own rooms before Burt comes back upstairs."

Then I heard both boys thank her.

She came out and found me on the top step. She looked a little mad at finding me eavesdropping, but she didn't really look surprised.

"Before you even start, they were in separate rooms when I got up here, but I asked to speak to them together."

I couldn't really respond quickly enough before she went on.

"They are both sorry you had to hear that. But I don't think it's going to stop a repeat performance. They'll probably just be a little less loud. And no, you can't kill them."

Then she said something that made me love her even more. Rather, she yelled it, so all the boys could hear it.

"We are going for ice cream. Everyone get your asses in the car in the next five minutes!"

I gave her a big bear hug before we started to walk downstairs to get the car keys. I shouted one last command upstairs while I could hear the boys scurrying to find shoes.

"Oh, and Finn is sitting in the middle!"

That was met with three identical groans.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Disney and Universal were great, just the break I needed from the cold. This chapter is a little longer than the last to make up for a few days without updates. This chapter has a few really funny moments that I truly enjoyed writing.  
>Thanks for all the reviews, it's great to get some feedback!<br>A few quick notes: I've changed a few things, like how Blaine, Kurt and Finn are all seniors. Also, I made Blaine a little shorter than he really is, just because there are a few funny things later on that are a little funnier with him being a little shorter. Enjoy! 

School had started, and all the boys were back at school. I was expecting the first week back to be a little rough since it was Blaine's first time as a McKinley student. That first day, Blaine and Kurt came home with stained faces. Kurt's was purple and Blaine's was blue. I guess the slushies were back for another year. I had sort of hoped that was just a fad. Blaine didn't seem all the mad about it, at least not as upset as Kurt.

"Hi boys. Need I ask how the first day was?"

Blaine responded since Kurt was still a little upset.

"Please don't. Let's just say it could have been worse. I'd stay and chat, but I really need a shower." Blaine started up the stairs, with Kurt immediately following him. I let them go without asking what exactly had happened. Finn walked in a few minutes later.

"Care to tell me what happened to those two today?"

Finn sat down and ran his fingers through his short hair.

"Nothing too bad. They were standing by Kurt's locker, just holding hands, and were both slushied. It really could have been worse. I saw from down the hall. By the time I got there they were already covered, but at least I stopped the guys from shoving them into the lockers. By the way, where are they?"

"They're upstairs. Blaine said he needed a shower. He looked like the snow miser from that old Christmas cartoon. You know the one that's bright blue and has wild hair sticking up everywhere?"

"You mean they are upstairs? Alone? Showering?"

I can't believe it took Finn pointing it out for me to realize what just happened in front of my very eyes. I ran up the stairs and burst into Kurt's room with out knocking. The bathroom door was closed and neither boy was in sight. I banged on the bathroom door. I could hear Kurt's voice muffled through the door.

"Took you long enough! That was some really irresponsible parenting there Dad!"

"Stop what you're doing and come out here right now!"

"Can I put some clothes on first? Or are you looking for a show?" I could hear him giggling. He's never this ballsy when there isn't a locked door between us.

"Quickly put on some clothes and come out here."

About three minutes and a lot of laughing later, both boys stepped out of the bathroom, free from slushy dyes.

"Before you start, we didn't do anything inappropriate. It's just really difficult to get artificially dyed corn starch out of your hair on your own."

I can't believe he was justifying the two of them showering together. To me! I said the first thing that popped into my head.

"Go to your room!"

"Um... Dad... I'm in my room. Are you having a stroke? Your face is purple and that vein is popping out of your forehead."

I stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind me. Then I realized they were both in there. I threw the door open wide and yelled.

"Keep that door open!"

"But you're the one that closed it!"

Carol's right. My heart really isn't going to last long with having to deal with those two boys.

As that first week went on, the more problems the boys had at school, the more problems they caused me at home. I got home from the shop Wednesday to find Kurt rummaging through the garage.

"Hey Kiddo, what're you looking for?"

"Bolt cutters." he replied without even thinking. He seemed to realize he said that out loud and quickly added something about a school project.

"Where are Finn and Blaine?"

"Both doing homework upstairs."

"Ok. Check the tool box under the work table in the corner. There should be bolt cutters in there."

I can't imagine why Kurt, of all people, would need bolt cutters for school. Something was definitely up. Rather than grill him about it, I figured I'd check with the other boys and see if they knew anything about it. I stopped in Finn's room first. He was playing video games, his unfinished homework abandoned on the floor. He didn't know anything about what was going on with Kurt, so I told him to get some work done. I stopped in Blaine's room next, but it was empty. They always study together anyway, so I decided to check Kurt's room. I almost had another heart attack when I saw the scene in Kurt's room.

"Kurt, I'm so glad you're back. My arms are starting to fall aslee..." Blaine stopped talking when he saw it was me who found him in the compromising position.

Blaine was laying on the bed without a shirt (or anything else) and a blanket covering up to his hips. His arms were up above his head. His wrists were handcuffed to the headboard. I'm guessing they lost the key, which would explain Kurt's search for bolt cutters.

"Wow, this is incredibly painfully awkward..." Blaine said to try and break the silence. "We sort of lost the key..."

I just rolled my eyes and walked out of the room. I went down to the garage and found Kurt still searching. I pulled them out of the tool box (exactly where I said they'd be) and handed them to Kurt.

"Once you free Blaine, make sure you get all your homework done. And leave your door open."

Later that night, in bed, Carol found that story hilarious and couldn't stop laughing.

After Friday night dinner, we were having a family movie night. It took a while to choose a movie, with each boy (alright, I'll admit it, myself included) shouting a different movie. It was narrowed down to four, and Carol was the deciding vote.

"We are going to watch Toy Story."

"But that wasn't even one of the ones to choose from." I almost whined, but caught myself.

"I know, but since none of you can agree, we are going to watch my choice. If we have time, we can watch one of yours later."

So we settled in to watch Toy Story. Carol and I had the love seat, Finn was stretched across the entire couch, and Kurt and Blaine were snuggled together in the reclining armchair. It only fit one person, but every single movie night, the two of them squeezed in either side by side or one on the others lap.

Halfway through the movie, Carol and I went to make popcorn. Movie nights in our house require a tremendous amount of popcorn, so we paused the movie since it would take a while. Since Carol was starting it, I took the opportunity to eavesdrop on the boys, who were all talking in the living room.

They were talking about mailmen. I'm not really sure what that was, but by the end of the conversation, I had figured it out. A mailman is what you use to cool down during alone time. I get it, I have my own, which involves walking in on my son and Blaine one of the many times it has happened.

Apparently Finn coined the term since his is a literal mailman, one he almost killed when he ran him over with his car. Finn was talking now, addressing his question to both Kurt and Blaine.

"You two always sit together in that chair, practically on each others lap. How do you make it through the whole night? I'd have a problem if I had my girlfriend on my lap. And do you guys have different mailmen?"

"No, we actually have the same mailman." Kurt replied, followed by Blaine.

"And it just so happens to do with why we share this one small chair."

Uh-oh, I think I knew were this was going, but Kurt explained to Finn, which would only make the rest of the movie more awkward.

"After prom, when Blaine and I came back to the house early because of the whole incident, we walked in on dad and Carol doing it."

"On that couch..." Blaine added before Kurt could continue.

"Which is both our shared mailman as well as the reason neither of us has sat on that couch in the last few months."

Finn looked stunned. Then he leapt off the couch like it burned him.

"Eww! Why didn't you tell me! I've been lying on that couch every movie night. That's so gross. They're parents; they aren't supposed to have sex."

Finn was really freaking out now. Blaine tried to comfort him, but I think he only made it worse.

"That's sort of what made them parents in the first place..."

I walked back over to Carol to tell her about the boys' conversation as she was finishing up the three bowls of popcorn. I wanted her to be prepared for the ambush. We walked in to the living room in hopes of just starting the movie, but life is never that simple.

"Is it true that you guys had sex on the couch?" Finn immediately started.

"Well, sweetie, we are married adults." Carol was speaking in her calmest voice, and it sounded as if she was speaking to a wounded animal. Kurt and Blaine didn't say anything; they just took their bowl of popcorn and watched the drama unfold.

"But... You're my mom... And that's my couch... I've slept on that... And I watch movies on that..." Finn looked like someone just kicked his puppy.

"Let's just get back to the movie." Carol tried to start it, but Finn interrupted her.

"Kurt, Blaine, trade seats with me. There are two of you; you'll have more room on the couch."

"No way. We're the ones that had to see what happened on that couch, you just heard about it months after it happened." Kurt practically shouted back, followed by Blaine adding another comment.

"Besides, if you don't want the couch because they had sex on it, then you won't want this chair for a similar reaso..."

Blaine was silenced by Kurt's hand slamming over his mouth.

"I can't believe you just said that out loud. In front of everyone."

I didn't really know the best way of yelling at the boys for having sex on the living room chair, since I was guilty of doing the same thing on the couch. The rest of the movie was spent in really awkward silence with Finn on the love seat, Carol and I on the "dirty sex couch" and Kurt and Blaine in their "dirty sex chair". (The new names for our furniture are courtesy of Finn.)

Apparently my talks weren't working. Carol caught Kurt and Blaine two more times that weekend. They were like rabbits. Didn't they ever get tired?

Then I remembered what it was like to be a teenage boy, and I can't imagine what would happen without the girl to say "no" once in a while. Carol talked me into letting some things slide. She gave them the talk this time, and instead of the usual rules, she gave them easier to follow ones. They had to keep all activities to their rooms, no more walking in on them in the living room, kitchen, garage, etc. And they had to be a little more subtle about it. This meant a little less vocal, and all around more quiet. They had to continue getting good grades and being active members of glee club. Most of all, they couldn't neglect their friends. They agreed and were grateful it was Carol and not me who was talking to them.

Halfway through the next week I got a call at the shop. It was Coach Sylvester from the school.

"Is this Mr. Hummel?

"Yes it is. Is there a problem?"

"Isn't there always? You need to come and pick up your son."

"Which one and what did they do?"

"Actually, I guess all three are yours. Frankenteen and Frodo are in trouble for fighting and Porcelain and Frodo are both in the nurse's office."

"Ok, I'll be right there. Wait. Who's Frodo?"

"The midget from Lord of the Rings with the curly hair."

"I'll be there in a minute."

Luckily I wasn't the only one working today, so I was able to leave without closing the shop.

Coach Sylvester met me at the main entrance and walked with me to the nurse's office. I always thought she had a sweet spot for Kurt after his problems from last year, but then again, it was hard not to.

The sight that met me in the nurse's office wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Kurt had an ice pack on his side and a cut on his arm (about locker door height) and Blaine had an ice pack on his face. He pulled it away when he saw me, to show a black eye and bloody nose.

"Hey boys. Care to explain?"

All of a sudden, I heard three stories from three boys.

"One at a time. Kurt, you first."

"Blaine and I were standing at my locker and three jocks came up, called us some names and shoved us into the lockers. Since mine was open, the door cut my arm. When Blaine saw I was bleeding, it was like he snapped and just attacked the guys. He wasn't really doing to well, three on one, until Finn and Puck got there."

"I couldn't help it. They hurt you." Blaine said quietly from where he was sitting.

At that moment I was extremely proud of all of my sons. I signed them out of school for the rest of the day (Blaine and Finn were suspended for the rest of the day and tomorrow for fighting anyway), and we walked out to my truck. On the way out, Coach Sylvester shouted after us.

"Think about my offer ladies!"

I waited till we were pulling out of the parking lot to start talking.

"So... Frodo?"

"Um... Yeah... I guess it's her current name for me. She is trying out a few new ones. The first week I was 'Mrs. Porcelain' and earlier this week I was 'Curls'. I think I liked 'Curls' the best. At least it was the least offensive."

Kurt piped in saying he liked 'Mrs. Porcelain' the best.

"And what was that she said about an offer?"

Kurt fielded that question.

"She won nationals two years ago because if me, so now she's convinced she needs me singing to win again. She wants Blaine and I to do a duet."

"And what do you think about this Blaine?" I asked him when I saw he didn't look too happy.

"I'm not so sure. I get into enough fights without being a cheerleader. I can only imagine it getting worse."

"Well, think it over."

I had to get back to work soon, and had no intention of leaving my rabbit-like sons alone in the house, so we all went to the shop. After some complaining, I put everyone to work. Kurt's the only one I trusted to actually work on the cars, so the other two were put to work cleaning.

I did have to break Kurt and Blaine up once, apparently Kurt wearing coveralls with grease on his face was 'too cute to resist'.

Finn had a few comments about that.

"Wow Blaine, I guess you really are gay."

"Um... yeah... I kinda thought you knew that..."

"But you like Kurt when he dressed like a girl. I figured you weren't as gay. But now you like him when he's dressed like a guy and dirty. You're gayer than I thought."

"I don't think there are varying degrees of gay. I think you are or you aren't. And besides, Kurt's really sexy like that!"

I had to intervene at that point.

"I don't want to hear that! Go back to cleaning!"

Finn decided now was a good time to protest, since I was distracted by the other two.

"I thought you were proud of us for standing up for each other? Why are we being treated like slaves?"

"You and Blaine still got suspended. That calls for punishment." Seeing Blaine wince when I said punishment made me remember what his punishments used to be, so I quickly clarified.

"Getting suspended doesn't mean sit at home and play video games. Your punishment is going to be cleaning this shop from top to bottom today and tomorrow."

Blaine visibly relaxed and went back to cleaning, this time smiling.

"Kurt didn't get suspended, but you took him out of school and are making him work."

"I decided Kurt can skip a day or two of school if you two aren't going to be there. And besides, I'm a little behind on some cars and Kurt's a better mechanic than any of the other guys working here. Maybe if you're lucky you'll learn something about cars."

The rest of the day was spent joking around, while still getting some work done. That night, we decided we did have to tell Carol about the fight, just in case the school called. That was a wise decision on our part. After the boys told her, she said the school already called her, but she was waiting for someone to confess.

The following day all the men of the house had to get up bright and early for work at the shop. Kurt already had coffee made and in travel cups when I got downstairs. I noticed we were still two short, so I went upstairs to find them. Trying to wake Finn up early is a difficult task. I eventually yelled that the house was on fire and he fell out of the bed when he sat up too quickly. I went into Blaine's room, and for a minute I thought he wasn't there. Then I found him. The only thing sticking out from a pile of blankets was a mop of curly brown hair. I'd have to remember later to tell Carol to suggest a hair cut. He'd take it better coming from her. He didn't wake up from my first few attempts of calling his name. I eventually walked into the room to shake him awake. He did not react well to this at all. He woke up screaming and cowering in the corner. I apologized for scaring him and he asked that we not mention what happened again.

Twenty minutes later we were at the shop. While Blaine and Kurt do have a lot in common, one aspect in which they differ greatly is prep time. Kurt takes and hour and a half in the morning. Blaine rolls out of bed and can be out the door in less than three minutes. (School days take closer to ten minutes because of all the hair gel- even if Kurt has been limiting his use of it.)

That day went similar to the last, Finn cleaned the floors, shelves and office, and Blaine was responsible for updating the inventory and finishing some filing. I did catch sight of a nasty bruise on his side matching Kurt's, so I gave him the lighter work. I also couldn't trust Finn with counting or paperwork. Kurt spent the day doing what he does best (he says it's fashion, but I know the truth), fixing cars. He could work twice as fast as any mechanic I've hired, and I trusted him enough to never need to double check his work. I think he was so good at it because his hands were small and ladylike, so he could get things other people couldn't.

Blaine spent most of his time ogling Kurt and looking amazed that his boyfriend knew so much about cars. I went over to talk to him while he was filing.

"You know you've been staring for the past ten minutes."

He shook he head slightly and his eyes focused on me.

"Sorry. I just never thought he was so good with cars."

"He practically grew up here. It was just the two of us, so whenever he wasn't in school, he was here. I didn't want him spending so much time alone."

"Oh, that explains a lot. And why you two have such a great relationship. My dad never spent anytime with me."

I didn't really know how to respond, so I just patted him on the shoulder.

"When you finish up here, we can head home. And you're welcome back anytime. To hang out or to work. Kurt may be great with cars, but you're better at the office work. Don't get me wrong, he's probably the most organized person I've ever met, but he makes things 'too' organized. He doesn't follow my system, so I always have to redo it when he leaves... Don't tell him I said that though."

"Ok, I won't mention it."

I went out to let the other boys know when we'd leave, but stopped to do some more eavesdropping, which was quickly becoming my newest hobby.

"I always thought in gay sex one dude was... Well... Always the girl."

"That's not necessarily true. I'm not going to talk to you about it any more Finn."

"But I'm curious now. I've walked in on you guys several times now, enough to thoroughly scar me for life, and you've both been on top. So who's the top and who's the bottom?"

"I can't believe we are having this conversation. We just sort of alternate. You know, take turns. Now please stop asking about my sex life."

"I'll stop for now... But I may have another question later."

"Absolutely not!" Kurt shouted as he ran into the back to change out of his coveralls.

The next morning had all the boys at the breakfast table ready for school. Based on how Blaine sat down gingerly and winced a little, not everyone was in their own beds last night. This did not go unnoticed by Finn, who took the opportunity to continue yesterday's conversation. He didn't realize I was right down the hallway.

"I get it now! Kurt acted and dressed like a dude yesterday, which made him the top."

"What are you talking about? And why are you discussing this during breakfast?" I guess Kurt didn't clue Blaine in on his little chat yesterday. He looked embarrassed before speaking

"Please Finn, just drop it..."

"Oh come on. I know you and Blaine go at it like rabbits. My room is between your two rooms, so I get traumatized no matter whose room you're in."

I decided to put them out of their misery for now.

"Ok boys, time to leave for school. Unless you'd rather go back to hard labor in the shop. I am getting a shipment of tires in that could all be moved by hand if you want!"

That got them moving. Before I knew it, the house was empty and I had some time to myself to enjoy my coffee and the morning paper.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I won't say too much about last night's glee in case you haven't seen it yet, but as terrible as it is to not get to see Blaine in a few episodes, it was worth it to get to see him on Broadway in How to Succeed. Enjoy this chapter, it's a little short, but I'm working on another right now.  
>I really did enjoy writing the craziness in the last chapter, especially the bit with the bolt cutters. <p>

A few weeks went by without any more problems at school. Kurt and Blaine decided on taking Coach Sylvester up on her offer of being the new stars of the Cheerios, but the set forth a few conditions. They would only do competitions, no football games. And they wouldn't wear the uniform around school everyday. She was surprisingly understanding when Blaine explained about getting beat up enough as it is. They also only had to go to the first half of Cheerios practice to work on the competition routine and got to leave when they worked on football game stuff. And according to Kurt, she went back to calling Blaine 'Curls', since he started wearing his hair without gel. It slightly resembled a clown wig, only not rainbow. Being more involved in school should have made them too busy or tired to get up to mischief at home, but apparently spending every afternoon looking at your boyfriend in a cheerleading uniform only increases your already overactive sex drive.

The final straw that broke the proverbial camel's back was coming home to find my driveway blocked. By a fire truck and a cop car. There was no way this could have been a good thing. I got out of my car and saw all three boys on the front lawn. Two of them shirtless.

I ran over to where they were standing talking to a cop and a fireman.

"What's going on here? Is everyone alright?"

"Sir, is this your house?"

"Yes it is. What happened?"

"There was a small fire in an upstairs bedroom. Apparently there were some lit candles and some sort of fabric landing on them had caught. They just finished inspecting the house. The boys did a good job of containing it. There is barely any damage from the fire. But the room right at the top of the stairs needs to be aired out for a few days before anyone can go in it, due to smoke. Now sir, which one of these boys is yours? There seems to be some confusion over who actually lives here."

"They are all mine. And they are all going to be in deep trouble later."

"You have three boys who are high school seniors? How do you put up with it? I only have one high schooler at home and I can't deal with him!"

"Oh, I still don't know how to handle them. Thank you for your time officer. If we are all done here, I'd like to go see the damage these idiots have caused to my house."

"Have a good day sir... And good luck." The officer finished, and walked back to his car.

I needed a minute to decide who to yell at first.

"Inside! Now!"

After all of us were settled in the living room (all three boys squeezed onto the love seat) I finally figured out how to approach this situation.

"Ok, Finn, seeing as you are the only one fully clothed, I'll assume this isn't completely your fault. You're up first, what happened?"

"Um... well... I was in my room listening to music when I heard yelling. It was different than their usual yelling, so I went to see what was going on. I saw smoke and ran into the bathroom to fill a bucket with water. When I went back in I dumped it on Kurt's dresser, which was just smoldering by then. It looked like they put out the flames with some water bottles."

"Thank you Finn. You are free to go."

He didn't think twice about that and took off. He shouted back something about going over Puck's.

"Now, I would like one of you to explain why I got home to find a fire truck outside. And you two shirtless."

Kurt and Blaine looked a little off color, both a little pale, while having flaming red cheeks. Kurt started the story out, even though he looked pained to do so.

"Well, we got home after school, and I decided to light some candles to be romantic. We got a little distracted and when Blaine's shirt went flying across the room, it landed on some candles. We didn't notice until the room started to fill with smoke. I had a few water bottles that put out the flames, then Finn came running in with a bucket and drenched everything. One of the neighbors saw smoke and called 911."

I took a moment to think about everything he said. Finally, I spoke to them, mainly because they both looked on the verge of fainting.

"First thing you are going to do is go put some shirts on."

When Carol got home that night she immediately knew something was up. Maybe it was because of how guilty the boys were acting. Maybe it was because the entire house smelled like smoke. Either way, Kurt and Blaine told her the whole painful story, with Blaine adding a few details, particularly about his favorite Harry Potter shirt meeting it's untimely demise. Dinner was a quiet affair without Finn, who called to say he was staying over at Puck's. Once bed time rolled around, I informed Kurt that since his room cannot be occupied for a few days, he had the option of bunking in Finn's room, or the couch. He did not take that well.

"Why can't I just stay in with Blaine? You know we share the same bed every night. And you know we have sex. Lots of sex. You've walked in on us enough to know that. Carol and Finn also know from first hand experience. And now the cops and the fire department have told you!"

I couldn't really respond with anything but the usual my house, my rules bit, but Carol was shooting me a look that said "drop it". I just huffed and walked into my room slamming the door. At least I can imagine he listened to me and went into Finn's room.

Kurt was in a worse mood in the morning than he was last night. And he looked terrible. I couldn't quite place the reason. Being the subtle conversationalist that I am, I figured I'd get to the bottom of it.

"Wow Kurt, you look terrible. What happened?" This earned me a light smack on the shoulder from Carol. But Kurt continued to stare moodily at his cornflakes. Blaine finally told me the reason.

"Kurt finally realized that not being able to go in his room means he doesn't have access to his moisturizers and vast wardrobe and is stuck wearing the clothing of someone with an uncivilized pallet."

Kurt groaned when I moved to look at him. He was wearing Dalton sweat pants and a Harry Potter t shirt. He turned to talk directly to Blaine.

"I didn't mean you were uncivilized. There's just SO MUCH Harry Potter. And your pants are all too short and don't fit right."

"None of my pants are too short. They all fit me just fine. If my wardrobe, that I have graciously offered you the use of, is so terrible, maybe you should borrow some clothes from Finn."

Blaine seemed a little defensive of his vast collection of Harry Potter shirts.

"His would be too big. Besides, at least I know yours are clean. I'm sorry I said your wardrobe was uncivilized. Will you forgive me?"

"I can't stay mad at you when you're wearing a shirt that says 'Muggle', now can I?"

Sometimes those boys were a little too perfect for each other. Even Carol and I take more than two minutes at the breakfast table to resolve an issue.

"Hey! None of that at the breakfast table. Don't make me get the hose!"

Even though the boys made up, they still spent the rest of the day in the house watching movies and playing games since Kurt refused to be seen in public without a proper outfit.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here's some Halloween excitement. The costume idea came from what my boyfriend and I dressed up as this year, keeping in mind that he is a foot taller than me, which is why Blaine was in my costume. It was just too funny the first time around, so I thought the boys would do it justice.

Enjoy! 

For once all three boys were enjoying school. It took a month to get into the swing of things, but the daily slushies stopped and everyone was busy with glee club and cheerios/football. One night I overheard (alright I was eavesdropping, but it's my house, I can do that if I want to) that the homecoming game was that upcoming weekend. Homecoming is a big deal for a small town. It's a chance to recognize the seniors and their contributions to the school. Finn was planning on mentioning it at dinner tonight, since the senior football parents escort their kid out on to the field. They also did this for senior cheerleaders. From the way the conversation was going I could tell Kurt and Blaine weren't too excited. I'm not quite sure why though. This was their time to shine.

Once dinner started, Finn took the chance to talk when the other two boys had their mouths full of food. Luckily, neither of them were as bad as Finn and wouldn't talk with their mouth full.

"This weekend's the homecoming game and all the seniors who are in football or cheerios get introduced with their parents."

Carol was overjoyed at the prospect of walking onto the field with Finn. I could tell she's been waiting years for this game. After all, her son was the star quarterback. What she said next took me by surprise.

"That's wonderful. I'm going to go call the coach to try and get you three announced at the same time so we can go out as a family! Do they announce cheerios or football first?"

Finn looked a little clueless for a minute before responding.

"Um. I think cheerios."

"Ok, then we'll try and get Kurt and Blaine announced last and you announced first for the football players! This is going to be wonderful. I need to go find what I'm going to wear! Burt, start charging the video camera. We can have one of the glee kids in the stands tape it for us."

And with that she rushed out of the room mumbling under her breath about getting a new dress, while I sat at a dinner table with three dumbstruck boys who had no idea what just happened.

"I guess we have to go now..."

Blaine said while looking down at his plate.

"You're damn right, all three of you better be there. Carol is looking forward to walking all three of you out onto that field, so you better not try and get out of it."

And with that I went upstairs to our bedroom to try and talk Carol into wearing a dress she already had instead of buying a new one.

The day of the big game rolled around and we were ready and waiting in the stands. Coaches Beiste and Sylvester both agreed to tweak the line up so we could walk out with all three boys together. It would have been better if they each had their own moment, but with two of us and three of them, we really couldn't leave anyone out. Once halftime rolled around, we were waiting by the track waiting for our names to be called. I don't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing that Coach Sylvester was the one announcing the senior cheerios. She made comments about each one, many of which were not appropriate.

"And finally we have our last two senior cheerios, my stars, even if they act like rabbits, Curls and Porcelain." Then there was the sound of the microphone being pulled back and forth before the voice changed to that of Coach Beiste.

"Here are senior cheerios Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel and starting off our football players is our star quarterback Finn Hudson, with their parents Burt and Carol."

All three boys walked out holding a flower which they each in turn gave to Carol, who couldn't stop crying, as we all walked off the field together. There weren't any incidents, probably because all the football players were busy waiting in line with their parents.

The second half of the game went well, but Kurt and Blaine were no where to be found. I know they didn't normally cheer during football games, but they were already here and in uniform. Once the game was over (a crushing, but not surprising defeat), we had planned to meet at the car. By the time Carol and I got there, Kurt and Blaine were already sitting in the backseat in regular clothes.

"Where were you guys for the second half of the game?"

"We decided to sit in here and talk since there are no Neanderthal homophones sitting in the back of the car."

Oh great, this couldn't be good.

"What happened?"

"Nothing more than the usual. A few insensitive slurs and general idiocy. I'm just so sick of it. I've gotten used to it during school hours, but this is the weekend and I don't want to deal with it."

After Kurt's small tirade, Blaine finally spoke for the first time.

"It only confirms out decision about our plans for tonight. We have decided to stay in, eat ice cream and have a movie marathon. I'm thinking all the Harry Potters in order."

"I think Disney cartoons instead." Kurt added, clearly not as big a fan of Harry Potter as Blaine is.

I was a little confused about why hateful names would confirm their movie plans. But Carol was always one step ahead of me.

"You aren't going to go to your homecoming dance? I thought the whole glee club was going together than going out afterwards."

"They are. We just don't feel like dealing with all the crap or causing more problems then we have normally. I don't want a repeat of what happened at prom. I can handle some jocks hating me, but to know most of the school felt that way just hurt too much. We will go to our senior prom, they can't keep us away from that, but a homecoming dance isn't worth the time and energy." Kurt just looked so sad by the time he finished, but once Blaine puts his arm around his shoulders, he brightened up a bit.

"Fiiiiiine, I guess we can watch Disney movies."

"Don't be so melodramatic Blaine. You like them just as much as I do."

And just like that, they were back to being happy and arguing about movie choices. We decided this was one issue best left alone. If they chose not to go to a dance where they knew they'd be targeted, I wasn't going to force them.

Once Finn was all ready to go in his dress pants, black button down shirt and a light pink tie, he came downstairs.

"How'd you pick that color tie Finn? Blaine or I could pull it off, but pink really doesn't suit your skin tone."

"Or your sexuality." Blaine added in a voice meant to be too low for me to hear, but I pretended I didn't for now.

Finn looked down at the tie draped over his shoulders as if it were going to bite him.

"Rachel picked it to match her dress. But I can't tie it. Could one of you maybe do it for me?"

Kurt was about to walk over when Blaine beat him to it.

"I had to wear a tie every day at Dalton. I think I can handle a gaudy pink tie. I may not know as much as Kurt does about fashion, but I already know this color will clash terribly with her skin tone too."

I finally left my eavesdropping spot and walked into the living room, immediately backing out to grab the camera. Luckily I got a picture before they moved or noticed me. Blaine was standing on the couch with Finn standing in front of him, facing away. I guess he can only tie a tie if it's like he's wearing it, and Blaine needs to stand on the couch to be taller than Finn.

In spite of all the texts from New Directions asking where they were and telling them how much fun they were missing, both boys seemed to have a nice night in, watching movies. They were alone in Blaine's room, but Carol kept stopping me from going and checking on them. Finn got home and told us about some drama between Rachel and Quinn (undoubtedly something to do with him).

"And I don't get why they were both so mad. I'm allowed to dance with who ever I want."

"Finn, sweetie, the point of bringing one date is to dance with your date. Not leave her alone and dance with previous girlfriends."

Carol dealt with that better than I would have. I probably would have just smacked him in the back of the head.

"Where are Kurt and Blaine? They missed a couple of good fights. Rachel and Quinn were yelling and Santana started a fight with Artie. She actually climbed onto his wheelchair and started pulling his hair!"

"They're upstairs Finn. On your way up, let them know it's getting late and time to go to their own rooms."

"Will do. Good night mom, good night Burt."

Carol sighed. "It could be worse. We could have Santana too!"

Then we heard Finn yell from upstairs.

"Dudes! Put some clothes on! And Burt says it's time to go to your own rooms."

Now it was both our turns to sigh. What are we supposed to do with them?

"Hey Dad? Can we ask you a huge favor?"

I looked up from my morning paper to see all three boys in their pajamas looking at me. They were all trying to give me the sad puppy dog eyes. Kurt and Blaine were succeeding, but Finn just looked like he was in pain.

"That depends, what is this huge favor?"

This time Finn took over.

"The glee club is having a Halloween party at Rachel's house. Can we go? Also, it's a sleepover."

The last time the glee club had a party at Rachel's house there was a lot of drinking.

"Are Rachel's dads going to be there? And is there going to be alcohol?"

"No. I mean yes. Wait. I think I mean no."

Kurt pushed Finn out of the way and tried to clear things up.

"Yes her dads will be there and there will be no alcohol."

I knew I'd let them go, but I decided to let them stew for a few minutes.

"I guess you can go. As long as all behavior is appropriate and none of you drink. Did you pick out costumes yet?"

"Rachel told me I'm going to be Frankenstein so she can be the bride of Frankenstein."

"I already started making our costumes, but they're going to be a surprise. You'll just have to wait till Halloween to see them!"

Kurt has made all of his Halloween costumes since he learned to sew, and they've all been pretty good.

"Ok. As long as it's something appropriate."

"Oh don't worry. It's very appropriate." Blaine responded, before wiggling his eyebrows at Kurt.

Halloween rolled around and Carol and I were sitting on the couch waiting for the unveiling of the costumes. Finn walked into the room doing his best Frankenstein impression, and I have to admit, he was pretty convincing. It doesn't hurt that he's 6'4". Next we heard giggling from the top of the stairs. Then we heard both boys start singing the theme from the old batman TV show before they ran into the room. They looked a little silly, since Kurt was dressed as Robin even though he was taller, but otherwise they fit the parts.

"You boys all look great! And good job on those costumes. Have fun at the party, be safe and don't drink." Carol said as she walked down the line giving each boy a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Have fun and behave. Remember you are in a house full of people, so all behavior should be appropriate." I added, glaring at the two shorter boys to make sure my point got across.

A few hours later, when the door bell rang, I found out I did not get my point across. I opened the door to find Batman and Robin, along with an angry looking Frankenstein. Blaine tried to break the obvious tension.

"Trick-or-treat?"

I opened the door more widely so they could come in.

"What now?"

"It's not my fault! It was all those two. I'm going to bed. I've had a traumatizing night in which my childhood was ruined." and with that Finn trudged up the stairs to bed.

I turned on the two boys left standing by the door. Then Carol came out and directed us all into the living room. Once we were all seated I just looked at them, waiting for the reason they were home from a sleepover by 11pm.

"Let me start out by saying we didn't get Finn kicked out. He just happened to get kicked out at a similar time by his own doing. Rachel suggested spin the bottle, but Santana turned it into seven minutes in heaven. When it was our turn, they locked us in Rachel's room. And I swear all we did was kiss. Nothing inappropriate. For the first seven minutes at least." Blaine was about to continue with his story, but Kurt jumped in.

"After seven minutes we tried to go back to the party, but the door was still blocked, by the time thirty minutes rolled around, we started to get bored. Then Rachel and Santana finally opened the door and everyone was standing there and they thought it was funny we were locked in so long, but then when they realized what we were actually doing they ran away to the basement. Once we fixed our costumes and went downstairs, Rachel said we had to leave for defiling her room, because now she can't have sex in there without thinking of us." Then Blaine went back to telling the story.

"Finn said something about it not making a difference since she wouldn't have sex with him anyway and she told him he could leave with us. Every body else started to leave too since Rachel started to get crazy and yell at everyone."

After a minute of awkward silence, Carol spoke up.

"Why did Finn say his childhood was ruined?"

"Everyone seemed to say the same thing. Apparently, no one ever thought of the possibility Batman was gay, so walking in on him and Robin may have been what ruined their childhood memories."

I just tried to even out my breathing before responding. I was mad at them, but not surprised. In all honesty, what bothered me the most was that now I'd probably have to deal with a phone call from the Berry's, which was always a torturous experience.

"Just go to bed."

Once I saw them starting up the stairs, and I saw Blaine's hand reach for the bowl of Halloween candy I yelled out.

"Hey! That candy is for the trick-or-treaters!"

"But it's 11 at night and there aren't going to be any more kids. Please."

He was now speaking in a combination of whining and begging

"Fine, but if you get sick from eating all that candy, it's not my fault."

Around 3 in the morning, I heard a lot of noise coming from the boys' bathroom. I knocked on the slightly open door and went it. It wasn't a pretty sight. Blaine was bent over the toilet and Kurt was rubbing circles on his back.

"Are you sick Blaine? Want me to go get Carol?"

Kurt responded for him since Blaine was too busy puking again.

"I think he just had too much candy. I'm pretty sure he finished that whole bowl even though he denies it. He was really hyper and running around and all of a sudden he ran into the bathroom."

I sighed. I haven't had to deal with Halloween candy induced sickness since Kurt was seven. It happened once and he learned his lesson.

"Blaine, you're 17, why would you eat so much candy that you have to spend the night puking your guts out? Kurt hasn't done that in ten years."

Kurt blushed a little at being called out for the same behavior, even if it was a long time ago. When Blaine finally finished and was leaning against the wall near the toilet, he finally answered me.

"I didn't realize how much candy was in the bowl. I usually can eat anything without getting sick. I guess I can't eat a lot of candy. Growing up, I was never allowed to have a lot of candy for Halloween. I wasn't allowed to go trick-or-treating and my dad would turn out the lights so kids wouldn't trick-or-treat. That way he didn't have to buy candy. I usually got some from Halloween parties at school, but never enough to make me sick."

I kept forgetting the poor kid didn't have the same life growing up as Kurt and Finn did. Then I remembered I was still mad at them for getting kicked out of a party for having sex.

"Well, I guess you'll know for next time not to eat enough candy to feed a neighborhood of children. Good night boys, try to get some sleep. You can wake me and Carol up if it gets worse."

I walked out of the bathroom to a chorus of good nights. Once I got back to our room, I tried to get into bed as quietly as possible, so not to wake Carol. I shouldn't have bothered, since she was already up.

"Is everything ok with the boys?"

"Yeah, Blaine ate that whole bowl of candy and is currently donating it all back to the toilet."

"Oh, the poor thing. I remember the same thing happening with Finn."

"Kurt too, but he was 7, not 17."

"Well, Finn may have been a little older. And he may have done that multiple times. I guess it takes him a while to learn a lesson. He probably still hasn't. If he wasn't locked in his room in anger he would have fought Blaine for that candy."

"What are we going to do with them?" I was hoping she'd have a good answer, because I really didn't know.

"Cross our fingers and hope for the best. And don't buy any more candy."


	10. Chapter 10

I would have put this up earlier, but for some reason I couldn't log on anytime today. It was very frustrating…  
>And FYI, I know other stories have had them as Batman and Robin for Halloween. I decided to do it because Batman is my absolute favorite. If you watch the old shows with Adam West and Burt Ward, you will immediately sense how perfect a gay couple they would be. I've decided to temporarily disable anonymous comments. I don't mind constructive criticism, but I'd like an opportunity to respond to it.<br>Back to happy things: please enjoy this chapter; I probably won't get another posted until Monday. If there is anything in particular you would like to see happen, let me know and I'll see if I can fit it in. I'm already up to New Years, so probably after that. I've never been toOhio, and I don't know their school schedules, but I'll just make some wild assumptions and ballpark it.

:)

After Blaine's birthday party, I should have expected Kurt's to be just as bad. Kurt stopped having big birthday parties in the second grade. Partially because I wasn't very good at organizing those things, that was always Elizabeth's job. The other reason was that inviting the whole class to a birthday party seemed like a waste considering the majority of the class made fun of Kurt most of the time. He usually had a small group over for movies and a sleepover. Mercedes was always a part of the group, as well as a few of the other glee girls over the years. This year was different. Even after all the crap he had been through, he still had a big group of loyal friends, a brother and a boyfriend. After a few nights of pleading, I relented and agreed to a sleepover. This time it included all of new directions as well as most of the warblers.

Once everyone was invited and Kurt got all the responses (10 New Directions, 5 warblers and my 3 boys) I realized we needed to figure out where everyone was going to sleep. The basement doesn't have heat, so it's ok for summer sleepovers, but it's too cold for November sleepovers. The living room wasn't big enough for 18 kids to sleep. We'll be lucky if they fit for a movie. I actually got my solution from Mrs. Jones. She called me to find out if the warblers were going to be at Kurt's birthday party. Apparently Mercedes had started dating David (the tall, skinny black kid- I don't know any warbler names besides Wes), and she wanted to make sure I knew that they shouldn't be sleeping in the same room.

I called upstairs to the boys to explain the sleep arrangements, since it worked to my advantage too.

"Boys! Get down here. I want to talk to you before your friends get here!"

It sounded a bit like a stampede coming down the stairs. I knew it wasn't Kurt's doing since he normally moved around silently. It was a little creepy sometimes. When he was little I considered making him wear a bell so I would hear him coming.

"What's up dad?"

"I wanted to explain the sleeping arrangements. Before I start, I don't want any bitching or moaning from any of you. The basements too cold and the living room won't fit everyone. Therefore, everyone is going to be camping out in different rooms. Kurt, you, Mercedes and the rest of the girls are going to be in your room. You have the biggest room, so you can probably fit everyone on the floor. Two can share the bed as long as it isn't Santana and Britney. In fact, I want them on opposite sides of the room. I'd put Santana in another room, but I'm afraid of what she'd do there. Finn, you and the new directions guys get the living room since Artie can't get upstairs. Just try and make sure Puck doesn't end up sleeping in the fireplace... again. Blaine, that means we have to try and fit the warblers in your room. Do you think that's possible?"

"They'll sleep anywhere. They'd all share a closet if they had to."

The next part was a little more delicate. If everyone else was being separated, it seemed only fair.

"Are there any other warbler... couples?"

"Not in the ones coming to the party. Everyone coming should be able to control themselves."

"Ok. That's all I've got then. Go get ready for your party."

Kurt looked a little upset about me making Blaine sleep in another room, but he was still having a big party.

The kids got there in big groups, all the warblers arriving together and new directions arriving in two groups. We had pizzas delivered and they were devoured before I got a chance to get a slice. Carol decided to run out and pick up a few more pizzas and she said I had to go too. We made sure everyone was settled and then told them we'd be back soon and not to cause any trouble. We stayed a few extra minutes to each get a slice, since there was a good chance we'd miss them a second time.

By the time we got back, a movie was already started. It looked like they were watching Rocky Horror Picture Show, and all the kids were singing along. Somehow, they all fit in the living room. Kurt and Blaine were, of course, sharing the chair, Mercedes and her boyfriend were sharing the love seat with Wes and another warbler, and it was a close fit. Britney was on Artie's lap, and the couch was stuffed with about half of new directions, and everyone else was scattered around the floor. We announced that more pizza was there, and a few guys came out to the kitchen to get some, but quickly went back in to the movie. A little while later, I could hear an argument, so I went in to see what was going on. As it turned out, they were recasting the movie and planning who there would play each part.

Once the movie was finished it was time for birthday cake. Blaine and Carol had made the cake. Normally all cakes are made by Kurt, but it was agreed that he couldn't make his own birthday cake. Based on what I saw, we should have just let Kurt make his own cake. I'll leave it at that. Kurt had other ideas.

"Blaine, why would you put a dinosaur on my cake?"

"Well, it started out as Elphaba, from Wicked, since I know that's your favorite musical, but it started looking funny, so I turned it into a dinosaur!"

"What's on it's back?"

"That's us... Dressed as cowboys!"

At that point Carol burst out laughing. The first few times she tried talking, she had to stop because she was laughing too hard. Finally she was able to get something out.

"Kurt... He put a lot of effort into that. At least I talked him out of dressing you in rainbow shirts."

"What's he eating? " Kurt asked once Carol stopped laughing.

"Finn." Blaine replied.

By now most of the kitchen was laughing, including Blaine, so I could tell he didn't think everyone was laughing at him.

Singing 'Happy Birthday' in a room with 18 singers who all think they are the best is an interesting experience. Luckily, with the exception of Santana tackling a warbler, it didn't turn violent. After cake, the kids went into the living room to play truth or dare. Carol and I volunteered to clean up the kitchen so they could get started. Once the dishwasher was loaded, I pressed my finger to my lips to show Carol that we had to be quiet. I then took her hand and lead her to my secret spot in the kitchen that let you hear what was being said in the living room without being seen. She would have been mad if she wasn't so interested in what they were up to.

It must have been Britney's turn last, because she was asking now.

"Ok, Blaine! Truth or dare?"

"Uh... dare!"

"Ok... I dare you to make out with me, because you are the only guy at McKinley I haven't made out with yet, and a perfect record means a lot to me."

"Um... I guess... if it's ok with Kurt."

"Be my guest!" Kurt replied a little too quickly.

About ten seconds later, there were a lot of wolf whistles and yells. Blaine started to move on to the next round, but Britney started talking again.

"You are a pretty good kisser Blaine Warbler, but Kurt is better."

All of a sudden there was a lot of commotion and talking at once. Wes and Blaine's comments stood out the most to me.

"When you said every guy, I didn't think you meant Kurt!"

"Hey, Kurt's a guy!"

"You know what I mean..."

Finally Britney shouted over everyone.

"You guys should all try it. Kurt's one of the best kissers ever. Blaine is really lucky. It's like kissing a lady, only with boy parts."

We could hear several people getting up from their seats around the room, and Blaine jumping over furniture.

"No one is going to be kissing Kurt but me, so don't get any ideas. Can we just get back to the game?"

There was a lot of grumbling, but the game resumed. There were a few crazy dares. Several of which involved running a lap around the outside of the house, wearing only boxers, while singing Christmas carols. There was some more kissing (some boy/girl, some boy/boy and some girl/girl) and a lot of truths I didn't need to hear. Finn admitted to walking in on Kurt and Blaine more than once and Kurt admitted to catching Finn during some alone time with a girl, but he discreetly avoided mentioning which girl, since Finn seemed to jump between three different girls, and we never know who the pick of the week is. Blaine admitted to the warblers about going on a date with Rachel, and Kurt had to follow it up by telling the warblers (new directions already knew) that he didn't just kiss Britney, but they dated for a couple of weeks. A lot of other confessions were made, but I didn't listen to the ones that concerned kids that didn't live in my house.

Finally Carol pulled my arm, signaling it was time for us to go to bed, and stop eavesdropping. I stood up and walked into the living room, knocking lightly on the door frame.

"Don't forget to get some sleep. Warblers are all up in Blaine's room, new directions guys are in here, and new directions girls are up in Kurt's room. No switching rooms, and no significant others sharing sleeping bags." I added that last part while looking directly at Kurt and Blaine. Kurt was currently sitting on Blaine's lap in their chair.

"Don't make it too late. Good night."

As Carol and I went up to our room, I could hear the kids sorting through the pile of sleeping bags and backpacks that were piled by the door. I knew someone would try something, so I decided to set my watch alarm for an hour. It was loud enough to wake me, but it usually didn't wake Carol.

An hour later I tiptoed out of my room and down the hall. I could hear laughter coming from Blaine's room, so I knocked lightly and went in.

"Is everyone settled in here? Do you need anything?"

I tried to discreetly look around the room and make sure no one was missing and no one was extra. There were 5 guys and Blaine, so this room was good for now. I stopped in Kurt's room next, knocking again, especially since this room was full of girls. Once again everyone was there with no one extra, although there was a lot more giggling than usual. I left and stopped downstairs. There was no need to knock. They were so entranced by whatever Xbox game they were playing, they didn't even notice me.

I decided things were good for now and went to bed. Kurt, Blaine and Finn all knew to expect me any hour of the night, so they probably wouldn't pull anything.

I woke up around seven and quietly went down to make a pot of coffee. On my way, I stopped to check the rooms. Both Blaine and Kurt were missing from their respective rooms. Now I had the task of hunting them down, wherever they may be. Fifteen minutes later I checked every room, and still didn't find them. Just as I was about to try their cell phones, the front door opened and the walked in hand in hand.

"Where were you two? I've been looking everywhere! Why weren't you in your rooms?"

Kurt spoke first, just as I realized Blaine was holding a big paper bag.

"Calm down Dad. We just left a little while ago to go pick up bagels for breakfast."

"You should have woken me up or left a note."

Blaine walked back from the kitchen after putting the bag down.

"We tried to wake you up, but you just mumbled something about a carburetor, rolled over and started snoring. We left a note for you. It was taped to your bedroom door."

"Oh... Well then... Did you get me a salt bagel?"

Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Of course not. With your blood pressure, I got you a whole grain bagel and low fat cream cheese."

As Kurt turned to walk into the kitchen Blaine stepped closer to me and pulled a small paper bag out of his jacket pocket.

"Don't tell Kurt."

He handed the bag to me and followed Kurt into the kitchen. I looked inside and saw a salt bagel. I guess while Kurt cared about my physical health, Blaine cared about my mental health.

Two dozen bagels and three pots of coffee later everyone was fed and starting to pack up. Overall, I'd say it was a fairly successful party.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:Here's a nice, long, chapter since I didn't post over the weekend. Enjoy Thanksgiving!**

We decided to have a big thanksgiving dinner for all our relatives, since this was the first one we could celebrate as a family. I cornered the boys upstairs before any company arrived. Kurt was doing a lot of the cooking, but he was finished for the moment.

"I want everyone on their best behavior today. No rude or sarcastic comments, even if someone else starts it. Especially if someone old starts it. Now, you two," and I pointed to Kurt and Blaine. Finn interrupted me before I could go on.

"I think I know where this is going and has nothing to do with me. Can I go?"

"Sure Finn, go help in the kitchen."

"Just don't touch any food!" Kurt yelled after him.

"Now, on to you two. No matter how boring today may be one of you must be in the room at all times. Absolutely no funny business while company is over. Everyone coming knows about you two and are, for the most part, accepting, but not all of them think the same we do here. So don't give them any fuel for the fire. Carol's mother is a lovely woman, but probably the most homophobic of everyone else coming. She probably won't say anything too bad as long as you two aren't too touchy-feely. I'm not saying you can't hold hands, it's your home and you should both feel comfortable here, but that doesn't mean you can both go disappearing for 40 minutes and come back with wrinkled clothes and messed up hair. We've all gotten used to trying to ignoring how often that happens, but you can't do that with company here. Got it?"

Both boys nodded their heads without looking up at me.

"Now go back to helping Carol with dinner."

They ran downstairs, glad that the lecture on their sex life was kept short and not too embarrassing. In all honesty, I knew they weren't helping Carol. Carol was helping Kurt, while Finn and Blaine watched football. They agreed to be on clean-up duty since neither of them were willing to suffer the wrath of Kurt by messing up a part of the meal.

Everyone we invited knew that we now had Blaine as part of our family, and they all (for the most part) kept the conversations from becoming too awkward. My side of the family was used to Kurt and accepted Blaine immediately when they saw how happy Kurt was. Carol's mother did have a few comments for all the boys, most of which made everyone in the room uncomfortable, especially Kurt and Blaine. Everyone else at the table realized the road her questions were going down, so whenever she started to talk someone else would interrupt her with a new topic. As we finished dinner, she finally got the opportunity to talk.

"With you two fairies in the house, I'm surprised Finn hasn't turned into one of you yet."

Carol's face turned dark red, as it does when she's really mad. I've only seen it once and it was the longest night of my life.

"Boys, I want all three of you to go to the kitchen start clean-up duty." As soon she said it, all three dashed into the kitchen, along with several other family members who offered to help, mostly just to get away from what was surely going to be an uncomfortable conversation. I stayed in my seat next to Carol, mainly because her hand was holding my knee so tightly I couldn't get up if I wanted to. By the time Carol started talking, we were the only people left at the table. My mother was the last to leave. She walked into the kitchen mumbling something about dessert. I knew she wanted to stay and defend Kurt, but I guess she finally realized this was a conversation for Carol and her mother to have. And my knee, of course, that would surely be bruised in the morning.

"Mom, I love all three of those boys and they are my sons. All of them. If you can't accept them for who they are, then you aren't going to be invited back."

The older woman started to talk again once Carol finished.

"But it's unnatural. And it isn't a safe environment for Finn. He's going to turn too. You wait and see. There's a reason that boy's family kicked him out. You should kick them both out and hopefully your son will still have a chance."

"That's it. I want you to leave my house. If you can't accept my children for who they are, I don't want you here!"

"Fine! I'll leave; I don't want to sit through dessert with those fairies anyway. But I'm taking my pie with me!"

Once they both started yelling I excused myself to go get the pie she brought. I walked into the kitchen to find my three boys, along with most of my family and Carol's, standing around trying not to make eye contact with me. My suspicions of eavesdropping were confirmed when my mother handed me the pie I was looking for, before saying it didn't look to appetizing anyway. I saw Kurt and Blaine standing in the corner with their arms around each other. I gave them a small smile when I saw their red rimmed eyes. I knew they were used to abuse at school, but they are supposed to be safe in their own home. After giving me the pie, my mother walked over and wrapped both boys up in a hug.

"I guess we won't be having pumpkin pie for dessert."

I said before hearing a muffled sound from behind my mother. Kurt wiggled his way out and said it more clearly this time.

"I made an extra. It's in the fridge in the garage. That's Blaine's favorite, and I know Finn would have probably finished the one we had." Blaine broke free from my mother, who was still hugging him so he could walk over to Kurt and give him a bear hug. I knew they'd be ok, so I took the pie and went back into the dinning room. I probably should have been listening because now Carol and her mother were gone. I heard yelling coming from the front door. I walked over to find them yelling at each other. I opened the door and handed over the pie.

"Please leave. You are upsetting my family." I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded, because I was fuming. For once she didn't argue and stomped down the walkway as Carol slammed the door.

I wrapped my arms around Carol and let her cry. After a few minutes, I heard someone clear their throat. I turned to see Kurt and Blaine standing there. They had both been crying. I let go of Carol and the two boys walked up to her. Finally, Blaine spoke, in a voice rough from crying.

"I can't tell you how much it means to me that you defended me and called me your son. No one has ever stood up for me like that before." And before I knew it, they were hugging and both sobbing. After a minute, they opened their hug to include Kurt, who also thanked Carol for defending him as her son. I left the three of them there to cry it out while I went to see to the rest of our guests. Clearly everyone had heard the entire conversation and were trying to act as though everything was normal. At least they got something accomplished. All the leftovers were wrapped on the counter and the full dishwasher was already running.

We tried to pretend nothing happened and went on with dessert. Everyone praised Kurt's pumpkin pie, and by the end of dessert, both boys seemed to be in a better mood. A few people with longer commutes left after saying goodbye, but everyone else stayed to watch the football game.

When my mother left, she pulled both Finn and Blaine into a big hug.

"I'm so happy to have both of you as my grandsons! And I haven forgotten about you Kurt!" then she pulled him in too. Blaine looked near tears, and Finn was having trouble keeping his eyes dry too. Once she left, everyone started to get settled in the living room.

Kurt and Blaine looked at me expectantly, as though asking permission, and I immediately knew what they wanted. I had told them not to be too touchy-feely, but they always share the single chair. I guess they've put up with a lot today, and it's better than disappearing upstairs. I discreetly nod my head before sitting down on the couch to turn on the game. By the time it was over and our guests got up to leave, both boys were sound asleep cuddled together. Luckily, everyone found it cute and endearing. Once Finn went up to bed, Carol walked over to wake up the boys and send them to bed.

"Boys, why don't you go up to bed? Your backs will hurt in the morning if you sleep in this chair."

Kurt woke up first, and looked around, clearly confused as to where he was.

"What time is it?"

"11:30. Now up to bed, it's been a long day."

"Ok... Thanks again, Carol, for standing up for us like that. I didn't want to cause a fight between you and your mother."

"Don't even think about it. It's become a tradition for someone to storm out of holiday dinners. If it wasn't about this, it would have been about something else. Now go upstairs and get some sleep."

Kurt dragged a half asleep Blaine up the stairs. I saw them both go into Kurt's room, but I let them go this time. They had been through enough today.

There was an unspoken agreement between Kurt and myself. He was allowed to get up and go to the Black Friday sales, as long as I didn't have to get up. This year and last year, his duties included bringing Carol with him, since if he didn't take her, I'd have to. I love them both very much, but I'm not waking up at 4am to go shopping. Finn, Blaine and I all planned on sleeping in till 11:30, getting some sort of unhealthy breakfast, then watching the game at noon. Unfortunately for Blaine, Kurt had other plans. When I walked downstairs around 11, I saw Kurt and Carol sorting out their shopping bags on the dining room table. But Blaine wasn't with them.

"Didn't you drag Blaine with you this morning?"

"Yeah, but he's not really a morning person and was just holding us back, so he went to take a nap in the car while we finished. Once we got back to the house, he was still sound asleep and I couldn't wake him up, so I just left him in the car. He should be up soon."

"Why'd you make him go in the first place? You know he doesn't like shopping or waking up early."

"He offered to go with me."

Finally Carol spoke up.

"I think he just offered to be nice. It's getting cold out; we really shouldn't let him sleep in the car much longer."

I could tell they were both debating who had to go wake Blaine up. It's become sort of a running joke in the house, since the kid sleeps like the dead and is damn near impossible to wake up if he's tired. I once yelled fire and he didn't get up. Carol once threw water on him and he just groaned and covered his head with a blanket. But somehow he was never late for school. It was really just the weekends that caused him to turn into the sleeping dead. I sighed. I knew this was what they were waiting for.

"I'll go get him."

I grabbed Kurt's keys and walked out to the Navigator in the driveway. I opened the door, but the backseat was empty. Then I heard a slight snore and walked around to open the trunk. Sure enough Blaine was sprawled out across the trunk of the car. Luckily it was connected to the rest of the car, open over the back row of seats, or else I'd worry about Kurt and Carol not thinking it was strange to make the kid sleep in the trunk.

"Blaine, wake up."

I tried saying softly. I should have known this was just a waste of time.

"Blaine! Get out of the trunk!" I tried yelling while kicking the bumper of the car, making it shake a little. But still nothing. Then I tried yelling his name. We learned not to shake him awake or grab him while he was sleeping, because he'd have a flashback of all the times his father (and bullies) beat the shit out of him. Finally I grabbed the keys out of my pocket and hit the alarm button. It was loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood, and luckily, it woke the boy sleeping in the trunk.

"Wudda do tha' for?" He asked as he sat up slowly, realizing for the first time he was in the trunk of Kurt's car. "Did Kurt try to kill me and stuff my body in the trunk? He was really mad I couldn't keep up shopping. But I didn't think he'd try to kill me over it..."

"Um... Blaine, I think you just fell asleep. Didn't you come out here to go to sleep?"

He thought about it for a minute and scratched his head of unruly curls.

"I did... But I definitely remember getting to the back seat, not the trunk."

"Come on, let's go inside and get you warmed up."

We walked inside and Blaine made a beeline for the love seat, wrapped a blanket around himself and collapsed. He was sound asleep within a minute.

"Care to explain why Blaine was sleeping in the trunk, when he thought he got into the backseat?"

Both Kurt and Carol giggled before Kurt fessed up.

"We needed space to put our bags, and didn't want to keep opening the trunk, so I moved Blaine to the trunk. He was sound asleep and didn't even notice the move. Lucky thing he's small. I never would have been able to move Finn."

I just rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen for some coffee. Once Finn came downstairs for breakfast and we started the game, Blaine woke up and joined us. Kurt and Carol were both upstairs wrapping Christmas presents, since they both like to finish their shopping early.

Later on that night, I heard a lot of noise coming from Blaine's room. Suspicious noise. Noise that included bed springs, grunting and the occasional squeal. They knew everyone was home and awake, so I didn't feel guilty about interrupting. I knocked loudly on the 'closed' door and shouted loud enough for them to hear inside.

"Knock it off in there! You know the rules!"

"There's no funny business going on in here!" I heard in what sounded like Kurt's voice, but the next voice surprised me.

"Oh, it's pretty funny alright."

That was definitely Finn, an out of breath Finn. I decided to just open the door and see once and for all what the hell was going on. I walked in to see feathers floating through the air, Kurt and Finn armed with pillows and Blaine curled up on the bed with his arms over his head.

"Blaine started it." Kurt and Finn said in unison.

"No I didn't... And even if I did, you were supposed to take my side Kurt!"

"Not when you mess up my hair!"

I just sighed and walked out of the room, headed to the closet, took out the vacuum and placed it right inside the door. I then reminded them they were responsible for the clean up and went to bed. Carol wouldn't believe me even if I showed her.

The next day all the boys were up early. Somehow, Kurt was able to wake Blaine up when no one else could. Everyone was given a cup of coffee as we sat down to discuss the game plan. Every year, the weekend after thanksgiving has been devoted to putting up the Christmas decorations. Kurt and Carol were responsible for the inside of the house. I wasn't going to make Carol climb up a ladder and hang Christmas lights in the freezing cold, and Kurt just had an eye for decorating. Whatever he decorates ends up looking like a scene from a movie or catalog. Besides, he helped me put up the lights for the last 10 years, he deserved a break. So Finn, Blaine and I went out to the garage to get out the lights, ladder and giant light up Santa and reindeer. Once we all had on hats, gloves and scarves, we got to work. Finn was up on the ladder, while I held it, to string lights around the house. Blaine had to put lights on the trees and hook up any other lawn decorations. Finally it was time for Santa. "Ok. So who's going up on the roof?" They both said 'Not it' and the same time, so I decided for them.

"Blaine! Up you go!"

"Why me? Finn's so tall he hardly needs the ladder."

"Exactly the reason I'm sending you up! You won't hit your head on those power lines. And you're smaller so you're less likely to fall through the roof."

"I'm going to fall through the roof?" He half shouted.

"Of course not. Now take this rope and climb up there. Finn's going to pass Santa up to you, and you can tie him in place. Got it?"

"If I get electrocuted or fall to my death, I hope you realize that you are going to have to deal with Kurt."

He grabbed the rope and started climbing the ladder, grumbling under his breath. Finn then climbed halfway up the ladder so I could pass him the pieces to send up to Blaine. While Blaine was securing each piece down and Finn climbed down to the bottom of the ladder, where he would stay to hold it, I went inside to check on how that was going. It looked great, especially now that the tree was up. By some happy coincidence, we were able to agree on an artificial tree seeing how Carol, Kurt and Blaine were all allergic to real ones. There was a pine tree air freshener hanging as an ornament for Finn and myself, who both complained about the lack of smell.

When I walked back outside, I could hear Finn and Blaine arguing. Blaine sounded very upset.

"Just put the ladder back and we can talk when I'm on the ground."

I looked around the corner to see Finn standing holding the ladder leaning away from the house, effectively stranding Blaine on the roof. I stayed hidden where I was to see what Finn was so desperate to talk about. I knew I'd intervene to get Blaine down, but eavesdropping was quickly becoming my favorite hobby.

"No. I want to talk now. Because you have to listen. And I might not let you down if you don't agree to it."

After a minute of silence, Blaine finally relented.

"Fine. What do you want?"

"As you know, my room happens to be between your's and Kurt's. I want you two to stop making so much noise when you know I'm in my room. It just makes the fact that Rachel's not putting out so much worse. My little brothers are getting significantly more action than me."

"We aren't your little brothers! We're both older than you, making you the little brother!"

"I meant size wise. I'm taller. That makes me the big brother. Besides. Kurt's only 4 months older than me... And you're only five months older than him... Stop trying to change the subject. Do you agree to my terms? Stop rubbing it in my face, and I let you off the roof."

"We aren't trying to rub anything in your face. I just really love Kurt. And he loves me. We want to spend as much time together as we can at home because we can't act like other couples outside of the house. At least when you go out with Rachel you can hold her hand or kiss her without random strangers calling you really foul names or being harassed. I'd be happy just getting to hold Kurt's hand and kiss him in the hallway at school. But we can't do that without getting shoved into a locker or slushied. That's why we act the way we do at home."

Near the end of Blaine's little speech, I could tell from his voice he was near tears, and quite frankly I was getting close. I was about to step in and make Finn put the ladder back, but he did so on his own, holding the bottom so Blaine could get down safely. Once Blaine's feet hit the ground, Finn pulled him into a hug. I went back into the house to give them a minute to compose themselves. I took the opportunity to call to Carol and Kurt.

"Come outside for a minute to see the lights!"

The three of us went outside to see Finn and Blaine were back to work, putting away the ladder and the spare lights.

Kurt immediately sensed something wrong with Blaine, as he always can, and pulled him into a hug. I could hear them whispering to each other.

"What's wrong babe? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine now that I'm with you. I love you."

"I love you too." Then Kurt pulled away slightly so just one arm was wrapped around Blaine and he could turn and talk to all of us. "It looks good so far, but does it actually light up? Judging by the fact that none of you have been electrocuted, I can assume you didn't bother checking to see if the lights worked before hanging them up."

Oh crap.

Four hours and a lot of inappropriate language later, we found the one light that was out. We all went back outside to see the grand unveiling. After a drum roll, the house was lit, and I must say, we did a great job. After standing in the glow for a few minutes, Carol spoke.

"You boys did an excellent job. But whose job was it to tie Santa down?"

Finn quickly told her it was Blaine.

"I hate to say this Blaine, but it looks like you're going to have to go back up on the roof. You can't tie Santa to the roof by wrapping the rope around his neck. It looks like we have a depressed Santa with a noose."

Blaine just groaned and put his head on Kurt's shoulder.

"Fine... But Carol has to hold the ladder. She's the only one I trust to make sure it's still there when I get down. The rest of you would just try to blackmail me."

Fifteen minutes later, we had the perfect Christmas light display.

**A/N: Since I'm the smallest person in my house, it's always been my job too climb up on the roof to put up santa and the lights. Even when I was much younger, my dad would send my up to the roof. Up next, Christmas!**

**And excuse me, but new glee tomorrow! Based off the commercial/preview, I have already told my boyfriend he needs to find out where he can arrange for a gorilla gram! For moi!**


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! Here's the first half of Christmas. It was one super long chapter, but I decided to split it into two since it will be a little easier to follow this way.

Also... YAY! Yesterday NJ Senate passed a bill legalizing gay marriage. It will most likely get vetoed by our Governer, who resembles Grimace from the old McDonalds ads, but if they can overrule his veto if a few more senators switch their votes, which is a possibility. I have a few friends who had to go to NYC to get married, but hopefully soon there could be weddings more locally. I'm going to be a "Groomsma'am" (there can't be a bridesmaid if their isn't a bride!) for my cousins wedding (it isn't for another two years though), and it will be nice if he can have his wedding in his hometown.

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><p>Christmas time was always an exciting time. This year was no exception. I still had all my shopping to do since I didn't plan as far ahead as Carol or Kurt.<p>

I soon discovered I wasn't the only one. That is how I found myself Christmas shopping with Finn and Blaine in an overcrowded mall three days before Christmas. We decided to split up and meet at the food court around dinner time. I pulled out my list (conveniently written out for me by Kurt), and started to find everything I needed. First I stopped at the music store to pick up presents for Finn and Blaine. Finn was getting a new CD and a video game that had to do with killing zombies. Blaine was getting new guitar picks and strings. On my way to the register, I saw a Harry Potter display and decided on an impulse buy. I got a coffee mug that said Gryffindor and a blanket with a giant school logo on it. I don't really know what either of those were, but I recognized them from Blaine's vast t-shirt collection. Next I went to some fancy clothes store to find what Kurt wanted. He was very specific, but knew enough to include item numbers, sizes and colors, so I just handed the list to the employee behind the counter and they were able to find what I needed. Another tight, knee length sweater. I really thought I banned those...

Next to Carol's name, Kurt wrote "jewelry- white gold or silver to match her skin tone", so I headed to the jewelry store. I was surprised to walk in and see Blaine looking at a display. Of men's rings. I waited till he picked one out and the clerk was wrapping it to walk up to him. He didn't notice me come in, judging by the big goofy smile on his face.

"Care to explain?" I spoke right in his ear. It had the desired effect and he jumped and turned white before starting to stutter.

"It's... I... it's not an engagement ring! I know we're too young. It's just a... placeholder?"

"Calm down Blaine and breathe. You aren't in trouble. But since you're here, you can help me pick out something for Carol."

We spent a little while looking around until Blaine suggested a nice necklace. It wasn't as flashy as the one I picked out, but it was nice. I paid for it and we walked out to meet Finn. He wasn't there yet, so we sat down to wait. I decided now was as good a time as ever.

"So... A placeholder?"

"Well... sort of. I know we're young, but I know we'll get married someday. I just wanted to get Kurt something that showed how much I love him and that I want to be with him for a long time. Just not an engagement ring yet. I am going to marry him."

He said that last sentence with such conviction that I really believed him. Finn finally came lumbering over laden down with bags, promptly breaking the silence that had settled between us. The food court was really crowded, so we opted to stop somewhere on the way home. We decided on pizza, and called home to invite Carol and Kurt to join us. They declined since they had already eaten, so we ended up going all out without anyone monitoring how healthy we were eating. We got two large meat lovers pies. I only had two slices, but the two boys finished both pies off. Once all the pizza was gone, we decided to head home, although we all agreed to not mention the type or quantity of pizza.

The next day, I got home early from the shop, just before the boys were due home. I went to grab the mail and saw a box addressed to Blaine. It was post marked from the Philippines. It made sense, his mother lived there, but he has never even gotten a letter since he moved in. I put it on the table in the kitchen and went searching for an unhealthy snack before Kurt got home to make me eat rabbit food.

The boys walked in together and headed straight for the kitchen for after school snacks. Well, Finn and Blaine were getting snacks, Kurt was commenting about bottomless pits. The other two were arguing about it being a celebratory snack since school was over till the New Year. Once they found some food that sufficiently fulfilled their requirements, they went to sit at the table. Blaine stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw the box.

"Oh, Blaine, a package came for you today. It looks like it came from the Philippines."

"Open it dude!" Finn practically shouted, excited at the prospect of a present, even if it wasn't for him.

"I think I'd like to go to my room... I'll be back later."

He gave Kurt a meaningful look that clearly meant he was invited before taking the box up to his room.

Kurt slowly stood up and went to follow Blaine, but first turned back to me to try and explain.

"He's sent her a bunch of letters and she never wrote back to him. He used to think his father was just throwing them away, but once he put this as the return address, she still didn't write back. I guess this is a bit of a shock for him. I should go see if he needs me."

Then Kurt grabbed Blaine's forgotten snack and went up to join him, closing the door behind him.

I gave it to the count of 20 before I slowly stood up and started to walk up the stairs to see if I could hear anything. They were speaking too quietly, but I did hear Blaine crying. Unfortunately I did not slip out unnoticed by Finn.

"Do you eavesdrop on everything? I've caught you doing this before! I think you have a problem."

"Oh, be quiet Finn. I have a right to know what's going on in my own house."

"Then you won't mind if I tell mom, since it's her house too!"

He got me there. Carol knew about my little problem, but she didn't know exactly how often I actually listened in on our boys.

"I'll make a deal with you. Don't mention this to your mother, and I won't mention that you've had Rachel, Quinn and Santana alone in your room in the last month."

"How do you know that?"

Sometimes the boy was just too stupid for his own good.

"Do you really think I just eavesdrop on Kurt and Blaine? I like to know what's going on with all my boys."

He looked like he was hit in the face with a shovel.

"Wait... You spy on me... because I'm your son?"

"Of course."

"Well... Thanks... I guess. So what did I miss?"

Just as I was about to relay what I've heard, I looked up to see Kurt and Blaine standing in the open doorway, looking at the two of us laying on the floor. Kurt just looked at me with his one raised eyebrow, clearly waiting for an explanation. Since neither Finn nor I was willing to admit to spying we stayed silent.

"We'll be in the living room watching a movie." Blaine said as calmly as possibly, considering his eyes were bright red and puffy from crying, as he grabbed Kurt's hand and practically dragged him down the stairs. Kurt would have stood there in silence, with his arms crossed and his eyebrow raised all day long. Trust me. I've seen it happen.

An hour or so later, when Kurt was starting to prepare dinner, I went into the living room and sat near Blaine. He was reading a letter. I couldn't really decide what to say that wouldn't end up being upsetting in someway. He finally put the letter down on the table and leaned back in his chair.

"So... What was in the package?"

"My mom sent me a Christmas present." He held up his hand and it took me a minute to realize he had on a bracelet. It was a leather cord with a silver charm hanging from it. It had some sort of writing on it, but I couldn't read it from where I was sitting.

"What's it say?"

"It says love in Tagalog. That's the language my mom and her family speak in the Philippines. She sent two. One for Kurt. I told her about him in my letters. I didn't think she was getting them, since she never wrote back. I guess she just didn't care enough to."

He looked near tears again and picked up the letter to reread it. I looked over his shoulder and saw the letter wasn't written in English, so I couldn't see what it said.

"It was still a nice gesture to send a letter and a gift for Christmas. I know it seems like she just left you here, but she was going through the same thing you were. Probably much worse. It must be very difficult for her."

"I know that... But it's still hard to accept that she doesn't care enough to send me a letter once in a while. I know she couldn't take me with her, and I'm glad she didn't. If she did, I never would have met Kurt. Or you. But she could at least write to me once in a while."

"Don't think of it like that. She wrote this time. That has to count for something."

Luckily, I was saved from any further conversation by Kurt walking in to announce that dinner was ready. I noticed Kurt was wearing a bracelet that matched Blaine's. If Blaine was truly mad at his mother, they wouldn't be wearing the bracelets now. I didn't comment on Kurt's new bracelet during dinner and I was hoping no one else did. Fortunately Finn didn't notice and ask about them. Unfortunately, Finn found Blaine's letter in the living room.

"Whoa! How can you read that?

It's not even in English!"

Kurt jumped into the conversation to save Blaine the headache of explaining something to Finn.

"Finn, don't be such an idiot. If Blaine's mom is from the Philippines, don't you think he'd know the language? The only reason you speak English is because that's what your mom speaks, and she taught you. I speak English because that's what my mom and dad taught me. I also speak French since my mom could also speak that and taught me when I was little."

I knew this conversation could go on all night, so I decided to head up to bed and let them figure it out on their own.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Here's the second half of Christmas. It would have been up sooner, but I had difficulties logging in.

I just want to point out that in the V-day episode, Sugar describes Blaine as "compact"!

Enjoy:)

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><p>Christmas eve we decided to have a small family party. Both families were invited (everyone except Carol's mom). There were no problems like at thanksgiving and everyone behaved themselves. Presents were exchanged from all the relatives, but we had decided ahead of time we were all exchanging gifts Christmas morning.<p>

After all of our guests left and everything was cleaned up, it was time for bed. Kurt put out milk and cookies for Santa before going back into the kitchen to get a glass of water. While he knew the cookies really wouldn't be eaten by Santa, it was a tradition to put them out every year. By the time he got back from getting a glass of water the plate was empty. Unfortunately for Finn and Blaine, they did not hide it well. Finn's face was covered in cookie crumbs and Blaine had a milk mustache.

"You two are just terrible. I hope Santa doesn't leave you any presents!" Kurt yelled before storming upstairs and slamming his door. After a few minutes, Blaine sighed, got up and walked upstairs to Kurt's room. I could hear him knocking and quietly calling Kurt's name. Once the door opened and closed, with Blaine inside, I quickly went upstairs to see if I could hear anything.

"I'm sorry I ate Santa's cookies. But if it makes you feel any better, you make the best cookies in the world. They're so good I'd risk not getting any Christmas presents just to have some."

Just as Kurt started to reply, Finn tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, so the other boys wouldn't hear that we were right outside the room.

"You really don't want to be listening in on them when they are making up. Trust me."

Oh great, that's the last thing I wanted to think about. I carefully climbed down the stairs silently before starting back up again really loudly.

As I stomped past Kurt's room I made sure to knock and call in.

"Good night boys. Happy Christmas Eve! Don't stay up too late."

It's good to remind them once in a while that the house is inhabited. I walked back downstairs to help Carol put presents under the tree. I don't know where she had them hidden, but by the time I brought mine out from the garage, she was already placing them around the tree. We made sure everything was clearly labeled with a name, since Christmas morning with three boys would probably be crazy, even if they are already old enough to have calmed down a bit.

We were right in assuming it would be a zoo in the morning. Around 5:30 I woke up to hear a quiet conversation between Finn and Kurt.

"It's Christmas morning. I thought everyone gets up early. Just go wake him up now. You're the only one that can do it without causing him to freak out. Besides, I'd be afraid to wake either of you up since there's a good chance I'd walk in on you either going at it or asleep naked, again."

I could practically hear Kurt's blush. From what I heard next, I guess he was just going pretend that last part wasn't even said.

"He doesn't 'freak out' Finn, he just doesn't like being touched. Not everyone gets up at the ass crack of dawn on Christmas though."

"What kind of deprived childhood must someone have to not want to wake up early on Christmas?"

"The kind of childhood Blaine had. That's the kind. I thought you knew all of this already. I'll go wake him up, but don't bring any of this up."

"Chill dude, I won't mention it. I'm just going to grab some presents from my room and I'll meet you downstairs."

About 30 minutes later, Carol and I were woken by three teenage boys in their pajamas jumping on our bed.

"It's Christmas!"

"Time to get up!"

"It's present time!"

At least they waited till six am to wake us up.

Once we made our way downstairs, the boys each claimed a spot on the floor around the tree while Carol and I got the love seat.

"Ok, who's up first?"

The boys agreed Carol would open a present first. She opened a present from all three boys, which was a silver picture frame that said "Mom". Inside it was a picture of all three of them with the two of us at the homecoming game.

"It's perfect!" Carol said as her eyes started to tear up and she hugged the frame to her chest.

I was the next to open a present. It was a new drill I've been wanting. It was from all three boys together, but I knew Kurt was behind it. Even though Kurt had the most feminine interests, he was also the only one who knew anything about drills.

Then it was time for the boys to exchange gifts. Finn went first, giving Kurt a box of flameless, battery powered candles, and giving Blaine a new Harry Potter shirt to replace the one lost in the fire.

"Thank you Finn, I love it!"

"No problem dude. I'm glad you like it. And there's the added bonus that it makes Kurt mad!"

Kurt mumbled something under his breath about *another* fashion travesty, but let it go at that.

Then both Kurt and Blaine gave Finn his gifts. Kurt gave him noise canceling headphones, which were a good idea even if they caused all three boys to blush. Blaine gave him an inflatable chair.

"Um... Thanks, but what exactly is it for?"

Blaine smiled at Finn before answering, as though Finn should know this by now.

"It's so you have your own clean chair, since you won't sit on the couch or recliner anymore! And then if you have sex in it, no one else will sit in it and it will be all yours!"

Carol piped in to the conversation at this point, pointing between herself and me.

"You do realize both of us are sitting right here, right?"

Blaine blushed a little and stopped talking.

The rest of the presents were exchanged, and I gave Carol her new necklace. Luckily Blaine was there to help pick it out. She said how much she loved this necklace and was glad I didn't get a big glittery one (which I had initially picked, but Blaine talked me out of it).

Kurt opened his present from Blaine and sat there looking at the ring speechless. Blaine was starting to look uncomfortable at Kurt's prolonged silence.

"It's just a promise ring, not an engagement ring. I love you very much and want to be with you forever. But if it's too much or freaking you out, we can return it and you can get something else. Just please say something." Blaine had started talking faster and faster as he went on. I really hoped for his sake that Kurt didn't want to return the ring.

"I love you too. Of course I don't want you to return it. I just can't believe you picked out the same ring."

"What do you mean?"

Kurt reached behind him and handed Blaine his Christmas present. When Blaine opened the box, he saw the exact same ring he had bought for Kurt, only a size or two bigger. Pretty soon both boys were hugging with tears streaming down their faces. Carol couldn't stop crying either. Finally I got Carol to calm down and go into the kitchen with me to make breakfast. She was able to drag Finn along too, so Kurt and Blaine could have a minute alone. Once pancakes were ready I walked into the living room to let them know it was time to eat, but they weren't there. I looked around the room and started to walk towards the stairs to see them walking down the stairs holding hands. They both had goofy grins on their faces and matching rings. Even though Kurt's hair was perfect as always, Blaine's was even worse than it was when we were opening presents. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw me.

"Um... Sorry?" Kurt started, but I cut him off before it could get any more awkward.

"Breakfast is ready. I'll meet you in the kitchen when you're ready."

And with that, I turned around and went into the kitchen.

Once everyone was settled around the kitchen table (Kurt and Blaine sitting unusually close, even for them), Carol started dishing out pancakes.

Blaine immediately lit up when he saw we were having Carol's pancakes, they were his favorites.

After a few minutes of eating in silence, Finn made an observation.

"Wow, Kurt, you've never eaten more pancakes than me before! And Blaine's eating more than usual too! Opening presents isn't that much work!"

Both Kurt and Blaine turned bright red and stopped eating. The rest of the meal was spent with forced conversation, mostly initiated by me or Carol.

After breakfast, we went back to the living room to start our Christmas movie marathon. Finn sat on the floor, trying to blow up his new chair. After about fifteen minutes, Finn was close to collapsing, so I took the chair out of his hands and walked out to the garage. I was able to blow the chair up in under a minute using an air compressor I usually use for inflating tires. I brought it back into the living room and tossed it at Finn. Luckily it was very light, because it bounced off his head. We resumed our movie ("A Christmas Story" which was playing as a 24 hour marathon), with Finn enjoying his new "clean" chair, Carol and I stretched out on the couch and Kurt and Blaine squeezed into their chair. Blaine was currently on Kurt's lap, although that position tended to change throughout the movie as their legs fell asleep. Blaine was finally a little heavier than Kurt, but it didn't stop them from sitting on each others laps. Kurt's taller, but skinnier. Now that Blaine's been eating Carol's and Kurt's cooking for a few months, he's up to a healthy weight. He still works out for cheerios and goes running once in a while, but he was too skinny when he moved in. He really wasn't being fed that much at home.

After a day of movies and Christmas cookies, it was time for Christmas dinner. Since we had people over for dinner last night, we opted for ordering Chinese. Finn was allowed to invite Rachel over (the "girlfriend du jour" as Kurt called her) since her family wasn't celebrating Christmas anyway. (Carol tried the excuse about having her over another day instead because she should spend today with her family, but that argument didn't really work since she is Jewish). So eventually we sat down around the table with six different orders of Chinese food and a few appetizers. Christmas time was the only time Kurt wasn't as cautious about what he ate, so all three boys were fighting over the food. Kurt tried writing his name on a container to claim it as his own, but that just caused that dish to disappear the fastest. Rachel had a bowl of white rice and some of the crispy noodles that came with the soup since she's vegan, and no one (Finn included) remembered to order something specifically for her. There was a vegetable dish, but apparently the sauce was meat based. Carol offered to make her something, and I offered to order something else from the Chinese place, but she insisted she had enough. After dinner, the boys and Rachel went back into the living room to watch another Christmas movie. We had already seen all the old classics during the day, so the selection was limited. I could already hear the argument escalating.

"I think we should watch the Adam Sandler cartoon "8 crazy nights" in honor of Hanukah, since not all of us celebrate Christmas." Rachel began in her usual bossy tone.

Blaine, ever the diplomat, tried to smooth things over before Kurt or Finn could jump in with a response to Rachel.

"How about we vote on a movie, majority rules?"

"That seems fair. What movies are we voting on, besides my choice of course?"

Kurt shouted out "Elf" at the same time that Finn shouted "Christmas Story".

"But Finn, we already saw Christmas story. Three times!"

"There's a reason it's on for 24 hours dude. Because it's the best movie of all time, and you can watch it 24 hours straight without getting sick of it."

"But every time we turn it on, it's at the same point. It... was...soap... POISONING!" Kurt dramatically acted out as he collapsed on to the floor. Blaine immediately rushed to his side and they began acting out the final scene of Romeo and Juliet with the double suicide. It was all very over the top and corny. Finally Rachel lost her patience and called for a vote.

"Ok, who votes for "8 crazy nights"?" She was the only one raising her hand. She gave Finn and indignant look, but he kept his hand down. "Fine, who votes for "Elf"?" Kurt and Blaine both raised their hands. Kurt's face gained a look of triumph over Finn, but Rachel finished the vote anyway. "Christmas Story?"

This time Finn and Blaine both raised their hands.

"Blaine! You can't vote twice!" Kurt looked pissed. He had thought he won, and when we realized it was a tie, Blaine was in trouble. Realizing how mad Kurt could get when he didn't get his way, Blaine tried to justify his voting.

"But I love both movies. I don't care what we watch... As long as it isn't "8 Crazy Nights". I still want to watch a Christmas movie on Christmas. Rachel has 8 nights to watch that terrible movie over and over again. I only get one Christmas day to watch movies. Besides, have you even seen that movie? It's truly terrible."

I went back into the kitchen to help Carol with the leftovers. We decided to leave them out since the boys would be looking for a snack soon and finish the Chinese off. When we went into the living room to join the kids for the movie, "Elf" was on and Rachel was gone. I decided to play dumb.

"Where's Rachel?"

The boys exchanged glances before Finn spoke up.

"She decided to go home. She didn't want to watch Christmas movies with us. She also thought Blaine was offensive. But he wasn't. She's just overly sensitive."

I guess that explains why Rachel left without saying goodbye to Carol and I. Finn took Blaine's side in an argument against her. I know Blaine and Kurt still resent Rachel a little bit for the time she tried to "eat Blaine's face", so that couldn't have helped the situation. I should have stayed to hear what else was said before she left.

Halfway through the movie a second round of Chinese food was passed around. I suggested it, in hopes that if Kurt and Blaine were eating they couldn't quote every single line in the movie. Instead they took turns while the other ate. Once the movie was over, we watched Christmas Story again. According to Carol, Finn had spent every Christmas trying to watch all 24 hours. Blaine confessed to doing the same thing several times. It was much sadder to think of Blaine sitting alone in his room Christmas Eve and Christmas day, watching a movie marathon because he had no one who wanted to spend the holiday with him. Once the movie was over and everyone had their fill of Christmas cookies, it was time for bed. I didn't remind Kurt and Blaine about separate rooms. It was Christmas after all, and they spent the entire day together, always touching in some way. On my way into my room, I may have accidentally overheard their conversation.

"I can't believe you got me the same ring that I got you. It's perfect. Like us."

"I love you so much Kurt and I want to spend forever with you. When I think of the future I see us. And sometimes terminators..."

The romantic moment was broken when I heard giggling and the sound of Blaine being knocked off the bed, on to the floor.

"Way to ruin a moment Blaine."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Did anyone get the terminator quote at the end of the last chapter? It's from a cartoon that my boyfriend and I quote all the time, especially that line!

This chapter has been my absolute favorite to write so far. It show's how bad Blaine's lack of a filter can be! And in my head, he was just too adorable. I'm leaning towards making Blaine get drunk and repeating how he acts in this chapter at a later date. Let me know what you think.

Enjoy and make it last, probably won't update again till sometime next week. I'm going house hunting this weekend, then skiing on monday, since schools are closed for President's Day (for those of you out of the USA, we all get the day off school and work for George Washington's Birthday (and Abe Lincoln's too, rolled into one day)

:)

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><p>For the first few days after Christmas, every thing went well. Kurt and Blaine were pretty much inseparable though. There wasn't a single time when I saw one without the other.<p>

It was no wonder then that when one got sick, they both got sick.

It started with Blaine. I don't know how he got it, but one day he woke up sick as a dog. He spent most of the day on the love seat, under a blanket, eating soup. As it turns out, he's very whiny, needy and clingy when sick. He wasn't when he first started staying with us, but now he was comfortable around all of us and acted just like one of our kids. When Kurt was in the room, Blaine was trying to sit in his lap or cuddle with him. When Blaine fell asleep, Kurt took the opportunity to run upstairs to shower and change. Unfortunately Blaine woke up before he was back (Kurt's nighttime moisturizing routine takes at least 30 minutes, and he doesn't take quick showers either). I knew Blaine woke up when I heard a very pathetic voice calling from the living room.

"Kurt! Where are you? I'm all alone and it's dark. Kurt?"

I realized that if I didn't tell him where Kurt was, he'd just keep calling for him. I walked into the living room and turned the lights on.

"Blaine, Kurt's taking a shower and doing his moisturizing routine. He'll be back down soon."

"No he won't. That takes forever! I'll never see him again! But it does make his skin soft. Like a puppy. Only not furry. So maybe not like a puppy... More like the puppy version of something soft and smooth. Like a seal! They are smooth and not furry. Or maybe a bunny. I like bunnies!"

The longer Blaine talked, the weirder it got.

"Did Kurt ever have a puppy? I wasn't allowed to have one, but I wanted one. I also wanted a pet monkey, but my mom said they were illegal. But my uncle in the Philippines has one. Monkeys are cool... they can do stuff with their feet; it's like having extra hands. Imagine if I had extra hands? I'd look really weird."

"What kind of cold medicine are you on kid?"

Blaine just looked at me like I had two heads, but Finn walked through the room and answered for him.

"Mom got some super strength codeine cough syrup for him at the hospital. He's not handling it well. I had to listen to him talk about quidditch, that sport in Harry Potter, for 40 minutes this afternoon."

Well that certainly explains a lot.

"Why don't you watch some TV while you wait for Kurt?"

"Ok, but can you sit with me? Kurt always sits with me. And I'm lonely now because he left me all alone. Can I sit on your lap? I always sit on Kurt's lap. Except when he sits on mine. But you're too big to sit on my lap. Maybe you could sit on Finn's lap? Where does your lap go when you stand up?"

"I'll make a deal with you Blaine. I will sit NEXT to you and watch TV till Kurt comes back, and then you can sit on his lap. Sound good?"

"I guess so... Can Finn sit on the love seat too? He's so tall. Like a giant. Or like 4 midgets standing on each others shoulders. I feel bad for the midget on the bottom because he'd never get to see anything, and he'd have to lift 3 other midgets. I'm glad I'm not a midget. I'm also glad I'm not really tall like Finn. I'm fun sized! Like those candy bars we gave out on Halloween. I ate all the left over ones. Then I threw up. I'm the perfect size to lay down on the love seat! If I was any taller, I'd have to lie down on the couch. And I saw you have sex on that couch. So I don't want to lay down on it. I like the love seat. It's really comfy. And its name is so happy. Like it loves to be a seat."

Finn sighed and sat down next to Blaine and I sat on his other side. Blaine was smiling very brightly when Kurt came back downstairs.

"Ok, what did I miss?" Kurt asked when he saw the three of us squeezed together on the love seat that was meant for two people.

"You left me all alone, and it got dark, and then we talked about puppies and monkeys and watched TV."

"I was hoping the cough syrup would have worn off by now..." Kurt said as he walked over and sat in his usual chair, leaving the three of us squished on the love seat.

Getting Blaine into bed was a very awkward ordeal that I let Kurt handle. The medicine was still affecting him, causing him to speak loudly about random and sometimes inappropriate things. I didn't need to eavesdrop to hear their entire discussion.

"Why are you making me go to my room? I want to sleep in your room. We can have sex!"

"No we can't Blaine. You are sick."

"Sex makes you feel better. Something about the goo in your brain. Ew. Brain goo sounds gross... Please?"

"No Blaine. I don't want to catch your cold. Besides, you're acting like a 6 year old; I'd feel like a pedophile."

"You look like a 12 year old and I don't feel like a pedophile."

"No Blaine. Go to sleep. In your own bed."

"But you're so pretty and soft. Like a really handsome seal! Or if a puppy and a kitten had a baby... But it wasn't furry. Cause you aren't furry. You are smooth. Like a babies butt! Or your butt! Ha ha... Butt is a funny word. Can you sing me a song?"

"What song would you like to hear?"

"How about Peacock? Cause I wanna see your peacock cock cock!"

"Absolutely not."

"Then I want to hear Baby's Got Back. Cause I like big butts and I cannot lie!"

"GO TO SLEEP!"

I then heard Kurt close Blaine's door a little harder than necessary and stomp into his room. I waited up another hour for Carol to get home from work so I could tell her about the day. She found it hilarious, but went to wake up Finn and ask him about the cough syrup. As it turned out, Finn gave Blaine significantly more medicine than he should have had. Finn thought that since he got a certain amount when he was sick, everybody else got the same. But since Blaine is a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter, he really only needed half as much medicine as he was given. He was also only supposed to get it every 6 hours and Finn told him every 2. Carol went in to check on Blaine after realizing he was pretty much overdosed with a strong narcotic by her son all day. She came back to bed and said he was sleeping and should be fine, but set her alarm for a few hours so she could check on him again.

The next morning was almost as bad as last night. Blaine still had a cold, but without the overdose of cough syrup, he was grumpy and a little hungover from the amount he had yesterday. Kurt hadn't woken up by the time breakfast was ready, which is unusual, since he's usually the first one up. I went up to his room, knocked lightly and went in.

"Kurt... Are you getting up today kiddo? If you're staying in here to avoid Blaine, he's a little better. Carol found out what was wrong and he isn't nearly as annoying as yesterday." When I didn't get a response I lightly shook his shoulder. He rolled over to look at me. He looked like death warmed over.

"I don't feel so good. I dink I hab Blaine's cold."

Great. Now we have to deal with two of them today. I lucked out in that Carol was off from work today.

"Stay in bed a little longer. I'll send Carol up to check on you in a few minutes."

"Can I hab some tea?"

"Of course. We'll be back in a few minutes with it."

I walked back downstairs to look for Carole. She was sitting on the love seat drinking coffee while Blaine stared at the TV with his head resting on her shoulder. Blaine doesn't like being alone when he's sick, so that's why he made his way to the love seat wrapped in his Harry Potter blanket. Kurt, on the other hand, would prefer to stay in bed. I think it has something to do with how when Blaine was sick growing up, he was always alone.

"Hey babe, would you mind checking on Kurt when you get a chance he's sick too."

"Of course. Why don't you put on the kettle and I'll bring him up a cup of tea." She really knew Kurt well. I put water in the kettle and turned it on, then went back to the living room to listen to Carol and Blaine talking.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday Blaine?"

"Not really. I remember Finn bringing home cold medicine and giving me some. Then I'm really not sure what happened."

I took this opportunity to join the conversion.

"You didn't stop talking all day. About everything you could think of."

Blaine groaned and put his head in his hands. Carol rubbed his back slowly before telling him the reason.

"It's not your fault sweetie. If anyone's, it's Finn's. He gave you too much cough syrup and you didn't react well to it. He's taken it before and didn't realize that you would get less since you only weigh half as much as he does. He also read the bottle wrong and gave it to you too often. We'll make sure someone else picks your medicine up next time you're sick."

He slowly raised his head out of his hands and looked between the two of us.

"What did I talk about yesterday?"

"Everything. Anything. You told me you liked puppies and bunnies. You also said Kurt's skin was smooth like a seal's, Finn was the size of a giant, or 4 midgets on each others shoulders. You also said you wanted a puppy or a monkey as a pet, and then Kurt walked you up to bed."

His face turned a little whiter because he must have known what he would have talked about when Kurt tried to get him up to bed. Luckily Finn had come in to join the "embarrass Blaine" conversation.

"When Kurt said it was time for bed, you turned to me and said that was a secret code for sex, while trying to wink. But you kept closing both eyes since you forgot how to wink. Then you talked really loudly about brain goo and asked Kurt to sing you to sleep. When he asked what song you wanted to hear, you requested Baby Got Back because you like big butts and you cannot lie. Then Kurt slammed your door and went to his own room. I could hear you singing to your self in your room for a little while after that."

"Oh god! I'm so sorry..."

Carol started rubbing Blaine's back again when she spoke to him.

"I already told you Blaine, it's not your fault. You were given a lot of a really strong drug. After seeing how empty the bottle was, I even checked on you a few times through out the night to make sure you didn't need to go to the hospital. That's how much you had."

"That doesn't make what I said any less embarrassing."

It's true. It was pretty embarrassing.

The day passed without too much incident. Blaine spent the entire morning coughing because he refused to take any more cough syrup. Carol finally convinced him when she told him coughing too much could ruin his singing voice. But this time he got the right amount. Kurt got some too, and only came downstairs for soup and to watch one movie before going back to bed.

When I woke up the next morning, my first thought was that I got run over by a train in my sleep. Then I realized a train line doesn't run through my bedroom. I nudged Carol who was still asleep.

"Honey... I'm sick." I won't admit how whiny my voice was, but I rivaled Blaine and Kurt. She got up with a sigh and said she'd go get me some medicine. When she finally came back, she told me Finn was sick too.

Luckily Carol has the immune system of a cyborg from working at the hospital, so she didn't catch it.

I did feel a little bad for Carol, having to deal with the 4 of us all sick at the same time. Blaine was starting to get a little better. Still pretty sick, but at least he was capable of getting up to get his own food and drinks. Carol said she needed to stop by the hospital for more cold medicine, but I think she just needed to get away from us for a while. Collectively, we were pretty needy. Before leaving, she suggested hot showers since the steam would loosen the mucus and clear up some of the coughing. I went up to the bathroom connected to my and Carol's room. Finn used the hall one and Kurt and Blaine would take turns in the bathroom connected to Kurt's room (which was always an issue with Finn- why Kurt got the room with a private bathroom- it was decided because he spent so long getting ready, no one was willing to share with him). After a hot shower I felt much better. I decided to check on the boys and see how they were doing. Finn was playing video games in his room, saying that he was already feeling better after a shower. I knocked on Blaine's door before going in, but his room was empty. I checked Kurt's room, but they weren't in there either. But the bathroom door was closed and the shower was running. I could hear giggling coming from the other side of the door. Then I heard something that made me realize they weren't actually having sex.

"Ew... There's so much snot!"


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm amazed at the response this story is getting. There have been over 5,000 visitors!**

**Enjoy :)**

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><p>New Years Eve was subdued compared to our other holidays. We decided to spend the day at a winter carnival the town was hosting. I used to take Kurt when he was little, and apparently Carol always took Finn, so we knew what to expect. The boys went off on their own and Carol and I walked around. After about half an hour of wandering, we spotted Finn walking arm and arm with Quinn.<p>

"Did you know about that? What happened with Rachel?" Carol asked me.

"I have no idea." I replied. "But I know she left mad on Christmas day and I haven't seen her over since."

"Well, as annoying as I find Rachel, she's still better than Quinn. I can't understand why he would still want to even talk to her after she lied about it being his baby even though she cheated on him with Puck."

I had forgotten about Finn and Carol's involvement with that whole saga a few years ago. I really lucked out in that department. Kurt and Blaine may have more sex than the rest of the Mckinley senior class combined, but at least I didn't have to worry about either of them getting pregnant.

"Come on. Let's go over by the games. I'll win you a stuffed animal."

We walked over to the row of games and found one with a prize that Carol liked. Luckily it was one I had a chance at. All I had to do was throw a baseball and knock over some milk cans. I'm not going to say how much money I spent in trying to win that stuffed dog, but it would have been cheaper to buy one in the long run. A few minutes later, we found Kurt and Blaine walking hand in hand. Kurt was holding a giant Teddy bear wearing sunglasses and a bow tie. Blaine was holding some sort of bag in his right hand, and when he saw us, he hid it behind his back before dropping Kurt's hand and walking right up to us.

"Please, please, please, can I have a pet? I'll take good care of him and feed him and clean him and take him for walks!"

Carol put her hand up to stop his talking and Kurt moved to stand next to me.

"Blaine, sweetie, is that a goldfish behind your back?"

Blaine pulled the bag out and we saw a bright orange goldfish swimming around in circles.

"Kurt won him for me. Did you know he was really good at darts?"

I gave Kurt a stern look. He knew enough to at least look a little ashamed.

"Kurt's been playing darts since he could walk. I used to have a dart board in the shop, and he would practice when he wasn't working on cars. I would bring him with me to a friend's bar and have the other guys bet on him. We used to make a killing. He's also really good at pool. How do you think he made enough money for that truck of his? Granted we got the truck for free since it was totaled, but he paid for all the new parts and did the work himself."

Kurt blushed scarlet, Blaine's mouth was hanging open and Carol looked shocked. The first person to talk was Carol. She smacked my arm before screaming.

"You brought your baby to a bar and gambled on him? And let him play with sharp darts!"

Kurt jumped to my defense.

"I didn't mind, really. In fact I had a lot of fun. And I wouldn't have been able to afford my Navigator any other way."

"Alright, you can keep the fish. But you need to get him a tank and food, and you are completely responsible for him. And you can't take a fish for a walk..."

Blaine looked down at his fish and talked directly to it.

"I'm going to call you Harry... Or Nemo... Or Squishy... Or Kurt Jr.! No, I've got the perfect name! Your name is Sushi! Kurt! If you get a fish too, we can name it Sashimi! That way Sushi won't be lonely." Then Blaine turned to Carol and I.

"Can Kurt get a fish too? They can share a tank, that way they won't be lonely."

"That's up to Kurt."

I know Kurt has very little interest in a pet fish, since he has no intention of cleaning a fish tank.

"I'll make a deal with you Blaine. I'll pay for and win the fish, but you have to feed and clean him. You can also name him. I'm happy with my stuffed bear."

So that's how I found myself going into a pet store on New Years Eve. Kurt and Blaine were going to drive over on their own, but I offered to go with them. Finn brought Quinn home after the carnival, and things were a little tense at the house. We went to the back of the store, where all the fish stuff was and picked out a small neon green tank with a filter and hot pink rocks. At first Blaine picked up a little plastic figure of a girl sunbathing in a bikini. I thought this was weird for him, but I quickly saw why he picked that one. He snuck up behind Kurt, touched it to his face and nearly shouted "Ew, Kurt, there are boobs on your face!"

Which was followed by both boys giggling and shouting "Ew, boobies!"

It was one of the few times I walked a few aisles over and pretended I wasn't with them. I didn't convince anyone though... We were the only people in the store at 5:55 on New Years Eve, while the cashier kept tapping her nails on the counter looking between us, the clock and the sign that said they closed at 6. After another minute I told the boys it was time to go, and to get their asses to the front of the store. They put back the bikini clad plastic figure and picked out a pink and purple castle. These poor fish would be getting a very gay home.

After we checked out and got back in the car, we started to make our way home. I decided to make a quick stop at a liquor store for some champagne to have at midnight. I parked and told the boys to come into the store with me, since I didn't know what they'd get up to alone in the car for even a few minutes. We walked in and I started looking for cheap champagne that wouldn't taste like crap. The boys followed me looking at random bottles down the aisle, while whispering back and forth.

"Hey Dad?"

Uh oh...

"What is it Kurt?"

"Since we are all staying home tonight and not driving, could we get our own bottle of champagne?"

"Sure."

"And we'll share with Finn and not drink too much. Please?"

"Kurt, were you listening? I said yes. If you were going to the party tonight I know you'd be drinking anyway, so I'd rather it was only a little and at home."

"What makes you think there will be drinking at that party tonight?" Blaine asked me.

"I know there will be drinking, because Puckerman is at the counter buying booze right now with a fake I.D."

We all looked over at the checkout to see Puck paying for a counter full of booze.

"Hey! Puckerman!"

Puck looked up at me with a deer in the headlights kind of look. He quickly turned to the cashier and made some excuse about leaving his money in the car, before running out to the parking lot. I brought my bottle if champagne up to the counter, along with a bottle of whiskey that Carol and I would enjoy after the boys went off on their own. Blaine added a bottle of champagne to the counter and Kurt added another.

"Two?"

Kurt blushed a little, but responded anyway.

"Finn and Quinn will be there... and Finn can drink a lot... But you didn't hear that from us."

After a few strange looks from the cashier, I paid and we left. I saw Puck sitting in his truck waiting for me to leave. We walked over to his open window to talk to him.

"I can't forbid you from going back in there; you're not my kid, but that much booze for underage kids is really dangerous. Just make sure no one drives home from Rachel's tonight."

"Oh, Um... Thanks Mr. Hummel."

"Have fun at the party Puck. Tell everyone we said hi." Blaine added before we walked back to my truck.

Rachel was having a New Years Eve party, but none of my boys were invited. Finn was uninvited when he left Rachel for Quinn, which meant Quinn was also uninvited. Kurt and Blaine weren't invited to begin with, since they were kicked out of the last Rachel Berry party for having sex on her bed. There was a discussion of having a party at our house, but Carol said no. Her reasoning was that it was mean to steal Rachel's party guests. Everyone in New Directions would have chosen our house over Rachel's. But in all honesty, I think Carol just wanted a quiet night at home without worrying about a house full of teenagers.

Once we got home, we all went upstairs to Blaine's room to set up the fish tank. Kurt had no intention of touching anything a fish touched, or would touch, so he sat on the bed and made birth certificates for each of the fish while Blaine and I set up the tank. There was a very in depth discussion over names for the fish. It was decided that both fish were boys, because who besides two gay fish would live in a pink and purple castle? I suggested Ace and Gary, which Kurt thought was funny, but Blaine didn't get. Blaine suggested Harry and Ron, since Sushi and Sashimi were deemed too upsetting if the boys ever wanted to eat sushi again. Another option was Bert and Ernie, but once Kurt showed Blaine a YouTube video, they finally agreed to Ace and Gary.

The tank was filled with water and the hot pink rocks were rinsed and put in the bottom, then the little pink and purple castle was put right in the middle. We filled the tank with water and dumped the fish into their new home. Kurt started complaining about the fish needing time to acclimate to the water and the temperature and how we should have used distilled or filtered water, but I had already devoted over an hour of my night figuring out that filter and tank. The carnival fish could handle some tap water.

We went downstairs to get ready for our New Years Eve celebration and found Finn and Quinn sitting on the couch making out.

"Eww! Gross..." Blaine said, while Kurt added in a comment himself.

"You know girls have cooties, right?"

I just rolled my eyes and walked in the kitchen to find Carol making snacks. We were forgoing dinner and just having a ton of appetizers and snacks through out the night. The four kids were now in the living room arguing over a movie to watch while I helped Carol put the snacks out on some trays. We tried to evenly distribute everything since Finn and Blaine would both fight over their favorites if they weren't easily accessible.

I walked into the living room to find Kurt had jumped on Finn's back while Finn tried to hold the remote too high for Blaine to reach, all while Quinn sat on the couch doing something with her cell phone.

"Boys! Cut it out!" I yelled, but no one listened to me over the shouting and wrestling that knocked over the coffee table. I went to grab the remote just as Finn turned, which made Kurt's legs swing out and kick me in the stomach. All of a sudden I was on the floor. Then I heard Carol laughing hysterically. She had walked in to find the four of us in a pile. We all started laughing as one by one we tried to get up.

"What happened in here?" Carol asked through tears of laughter. None of us could answer fast enough, so Quinn volunteered an answer.

"There was a slight disagreement over what we would be watching on TV. I got a video of the whole thing on my phone if you'd like to see it!"

After the phone was passed around the room and everyone had seen the video at least once (Carol 3 times), we decided to put the TV selection up to a vote. I voted for the Twilight Zone marathon that was on TV. Finn voted for some zombie movie, Kurt and Carol both voted for Moulin Rouge, and after Kurt whispered something in his ear, Blaine also voted for that. I'm not really sure what was going on during the movie. There was a midget and a lot of singing. The movie reminded me of the Beatles movie "Yellow Submarine". The two movies had nothing in common except for seeming as though whoever made the movie was completely out of their mind on drugs. Once all the snacks were gone, I offered to go refill the trays since I had very little interest in the movie anyway. Unfortunately, they decided to pause the movie so I wouldn't miss anything. I guess no one realized I wanted to miss the movie. I did recognize the main guy as Obi-Wan Kenobi though, and that's an improvement over most movies that Kurt picks.

I went back into the living room to be greeted by a heated discussion between Carol and Finn. Kurt and Blaine were sitting on their chair whispering a private conversation and Quinn was missing, most likely in the bathroom. I sat down next to Carol and tried to catch up with the argument.

"But Kurt and Blaine sleep in the same room all the time!"

"That's different Finn. They've been together for a longer time and have a healthy relationship."

"Why? I don't see how that's fair at all!"

Carol finally snapped and stopped trying to save Finn's feelings.

"You can't have Quinn sleep in your room with you tonight because neither of you are responsible. You were with Rachel only a week ago, now you're with Quinn. That's a little fast. And besides, I've let Quinn stay over before and she ended up convincing you that you got her pregnant even though she cheated on you."

I joined in now, to keep Carol from saying anything too bad about Quinn. I know she was thinking it, but Quinn could come back in the room at any minute.

"If you really want Quinn to sleep in your room, she can." I paused for a minute while Finn's face lit up and Carol's scowl was directed towards me. Then I added the second half of my thought. "You can just sleep on the couch. Or maybe Kurt or Blaine will let you bunk on the floor in one of their rooms."

Later it was decided that Finn would drive Quinn home instead of having her stay overnight. I don't think she was that comfortable in our house anyway. Carol, who is normally an extremely nice, motherly figure to every kid she meets, was still a little put off by Quinn and didn't go out of her way to make her feel welcome. I couldn't blame her either, especially with that whole thinking she was going to be a grandmother at 33 years old. Once it got close, we watched the ball drop and everyone had someone to kiss at midnight. Eventually I cleared my throat and Kurt and Blaine finally came up for air. Once Finn got back from driving Quinn home, we broke out more champagne and I broke out my bottle of whiskey. The Kurt and Blaine both got a little tipsy, but not too bad. They mostly just giggled a lot. The champagne didn't really affect Finn, it may have been because of his size, or maybe it was just that he was used to drinking much stronger stuff.

After all the champagne was gone, the boys decided to sing some songs. Kurt and Blaine were both a little out of it, so their singing wasn't nearly as good as usual. I guess they were a little more drunk than I thought. Carol decided it was time for bed, before things got out of control.

"Ok, everybody head to bed. Your own beds!" The last part was directed towards Kurt and Blaine.

"But that's not fair. Kurt said I could have whatever I wanted tonight if I voted for Moulin Rogue. I wanted to watch the zombie movie…." Blaine complained. I guess he really was out of it to try and argue with Carol about something like that. He kept trying to wink at Kurt, but once again, forgot how to and was just blink both eyes at once.

Carol was having trouble speaking without laughing, but she was finally able to respond.

"If you sleep in Kurt's room, who is going to watch Ace and Gary? This is the first night in their new home; someone has to keep a close eye on them in case they need anything!"

"Oh no! I forgot all about them. What if they need me?" With that, Blaine let go of Kurt, who practically fell over since he was leaning on Blaine, and ran up the stairs two at a time to check on his fish. He tripped several times on the way up the stairs, but didn't seem to notice. Once Finn started up the stairs, with Kurt leaning heavily on him, I broke out my bottle of whiskey for me and Carol. It had been a long week home with the boys, and we needed a little break.

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><p><strong>AN: Does anyone understand my reference with the fish names? If you want to know the awesomeness that is Ace and Gary, take the spaces out of the following link:**

**http :/ www. youtube. com/ watch?v = ohMNGeYGg6w**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Sorry about the updates being further apart. Life's been a little busy. I'll try to update at least once a week, if not more. I'm currently rewriting the next chapter since I can't find my jump drive that it was saved to. That's not really the main problem. I also have to retype all my lesson plans that were on it. Based on what usually happens to me, I will find it as soon as I finish redoing everything that was saved to it. Eh, what can you do?**

**This isn't one of my favorite chapters, but I do love how the boys can't seem to act their age for more than a few hours at a time. **

**Enjoy :)**

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><p>Once school started again, the level of anxiety within the house rose exponentially. But it wasn't due to having to return to school. The boys seemed to be catching a break now that the Cheerios were winning some competitions. I'm not sure if it was due to Coach Sylvester or the other Cheerios, but Kurt and Blaine were both having a much easier time in school. What was causing the increased stress and anxiety was the wait for college acceptance letters.<p>

Kurt and Blaine had made sure they both applied colleges near each other. Carol and I told them they didn't have to, but should go to whichever one they thought was the best for them individually. They both agreed the best place for them was with the other, so we stopped arguing. At least they were aiming high and only applying to the top schools. NYU, NYADA and Carnegie Mellon were at the top of their lists. Kurt was pretty much set on majoring in Musical Theater with a minor in Fashion Design. We all expected Blaine to major in music as well. It came as a bit of a shock when he told us his plan. He was going to become a lawyer, specializing in child abuse and gay rights. He wanted to be able to help kids that were going through what he experienced. He did apply to some performing arts schools as a back up, but with his grades, we knew he'd get into his first choice.

Finn was waiting to hear back from Ohio State. He didn't apply to any other colleges, but did send in an application for a technical school for auto mechanics. He decided if he couldn't make it big in music or football, he would learn to work with cars, since Kurt certainly wouldn't be taking over my shop anytime soon.

Once the other kids at school started to get their acceptance letters in the mail, my boys all became nervous that they hadn't heard anything yet. Everyday when they got home from school there was a race to the mailbox, pushing each other out of the way trying to be the first to check what came. One day I got home from the shop to find the three boys seated around the kitchen table with Carol. Each of them had an ice pack held up to their face while Carol lectured them on proper behavior.

"What they hell happened to you three?" I asked as I walked in to the kitchen. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat down with them at the table. Finn had an ice pack on each of his knees. When he took them away and put them on the table, I saw he had two very scratched up knees. Kurt and Blaine had matching bloody noses, and Kurt's hair was disheveled. Blaine's was too, but that wasn't as unusual. I finally got the whole story. The boys had gotten home from school to see the mailman at our mailbox. As soon as he left, there was a race there, with a lot of pushing and shoving. Kurt and Blaine each got an elbow to the face, which led to Finn being tripped as he tried to run past them down the driveway. Blaine was the faster runner, but Kurt was more than willing to pull his wild hair to get to the mailbox first. Carol pulled up to the house just as all of this was going on and managed to grab the stack of mail while the boys were fighting on the lawn.

She was still holding the mail ransom until they all apologized to one another. Kurt and Blaine had of course made up, but Finn was still on the outs with both of them. They refused to apologize for tripping him until he apologized for elbowing both of them in the face. While Kurt was cleaning the dried blood off his face with one of his moist towelettes, I grabbed the stack of mail and flipped through it.

"There are some envelopes here with each of your names on them. You aren't going to get to see them, or even who they are from, until everyone apologizes." That had the effect I was hoping for. Kurt immediately started talking.

"Finn, I'm sorry I tripped you and I forgive you for using your freakishly tall height to try and break my nose. Now please can I have my letter?"

Carol grabbed the mail back from me and responded.

"Nope. Everyone has to apologize, and then everyone will get their mail."

Blaine went next, even though he was a little difficult to understand around the ice pack and his nose that hadn't stopped bleeding yet.

"Finn, I'm sorry you're so tall and tried to break my nose, and that you are so uncoordinated you trip over everything."

"Well I'm sorry you're so short that your nose is the same height as my elbow." Finn retorted.

Carol was near her breaking point now.

"Nope, that's not going to cut it. I expect real apologies right now."

"Sorry" Finn said gruffly, followed by Blaine's reply.

"Sorry"

"Sorry is a word, and apology is a sentence. Let's try that again." Carol ordered.

"Finn, I'm sorry I tripped you."

"I'm sorry I elbowed you and Kurt in the face."

I guess that was the best we were going to get for now.

"Alright, that's close enough. Here are your letters." Carol then distributed the mail. Finn had one letter from a technical school. It looked like he would get into the auto program, but he was still waiting on hearing back from Ohio State. He didn't get a football scholarship, but he still had a chance to get on the team. Kurt got a letter from NYADA and Blaine had a letter from NYU. Neither had opened them yet.

"Well, aren't you going to open them?" I asked. I couldn't believe they were just sitting there staring at them. They've been racing to the mailbox every day, causing each other bodily harm, and now that they finally have them, they just sit and stare.

"Dad, this could be the biggest moment of our lives. It determines our futures. We can't just rip open the letters like they are yesterday's junk mail! Besides, they are small envelopes. If Gilmore Girls taught me anything, it's that colleges send a big envelope when you get in, and a little one means they think you suck. " Kurt argued.

"Getting a little envelope means you're going to have to marry rich!" Blaine said as he nudged Kurt in the shoulder while batting his eyelashes.

"If you don't open that letter in the next 30 seconds, I will." The anticipation was killing me just as much as it was them.

Blaine was the first to move. He grabbed his letter and opened it. He started reading it with a shocked expression on his face. I couldn't tell if it was good or bad. Kurt was reading over his shoulder, and finally shouted.

"You did it! You got in!" Then the two boys were kissing, the letter forgotten on the table. We were all excited that Blaine got in, but were still waiting on Kurt's letter. I tried calling Kurt's name, but he was too distracted with Blaine. Finally I just reached over and opened Kurt's letter from NYADA. I got as far as the second line when I saw the word "Congratulations" and stopped reading. I dropped the letter and pulled Carol into a hug.

"We did it! All three got into schools!"

I dropped Carol, and hugged Kurt, and Blaine, since the two were still attached, and then pulled Finn into the hug too.

"I'm so proud of all three of you!"

"Wait? I got in?" Kurt shouted, a bit muffled since he was in the middle of the group hug.

"Of course, here's your letter, see for yourself." I handed Kurt the letter once our impromptu group hug separated.

Once everyone had calmed down a little and sent out a mass text message to everyone they had ever met, we decided to go out to dinner to celebrate. Finn was still waiting on hearing back from his first choice, but he still got an acceptance letter and deserved a little celebration. We went to Breadstix, since Lima had a limited selection of places to eat. There were a lot of fast food places, and quite a few expensive sit down places, but Breadstix was the nicest place that wouldn't cost a fortune. They also had something for everyone. After we ordered and our drinks came, Blaine excused himself to go to the bathroom. A few minutes of conversation later and Kurt excused himself as well. Our food arrived and the boys were still missing, so I decided to go find them. I heard someone mention to the manager that they should go check the bathroom; they thought two guys were in there doing something inappropriate. I got there just in time. I walked into the bathroom to see two sets of feet next to each other in the handicapped stall.

"You better both get out of that stall right this instance or someone is getting castrated!" I shouted. The door unlocked and the boys came out a little disheveled looking.

"Blaine, go back to the table right now. We'll be there in a minute."

Kurt and I walked back to the table calmly, taking the long way around, so it looked like we came from the front door instead of the bathroom. Blaine was sitting next to Carol looking extremely red while Carol was having difficulty keeping from laughing. I slid in next to Blaine, leaving the only open seat next to Finn. That way we looked a little less suspicious.

"Blaine, if you can't make your face a few shades paler, the manager is going to know it was you two in there and kick us out!" I whispered. In his defense, he was clearly trying his best. Kurt, who normally blushed like a girl was actually pretty calm looking. We saw the manager walking around the restaurant looking for tables with two guys at them. He stopped when he got to our table, glancing at the three boys, but must have decided it wasn't them if they were here with their parents.

"Good Evening, how are you enjoying your meals?"

Carol quickly responded before any of the boys could be asked directly.

"They are just marvelous. Thanks for your concern. We are here celebrating. All three of my boys got accepted into college. Isn't that just great?"

The manager looked around at the three boys, none of whom looked remotely like brothers or like they were even related, but I guess he couldn't really argue with a customer.

"Well, that's just wonderful. Congratulations to all of you." He said, trying to sound enthusiastic. With that he moved on to the next section of the restaurant looking for a table with two boys at it. We really dodged a bullet on that one.

"You boys are so lucky you didn't get caught. You would have been kicked out. And that's best case scenario. What if someone like Karofsky found you? You two really need to think before you act." When Carol was finished, both boys looked at their plates, ashamed.

"Sorry Carol, you're right, we weren't thinking."

"We won't do anything like that again where we could get caught."

Once both boys looked like they finally got the message, I decided it was time to get back to the matter at hand.

"Let's not forget why we're here! You two both got accept at your first choice! And Finn got into his school too. And he'll probably be getting into others in the next few weeks."

After everyone was a little more cheerful, we went back to enjoying our meal and laughing over stories from everyone's day.


	17. Chapter 17

A few weeks later, Finn got a letter from Ohio State. He made it to the waiting list, which meant it was still a possibility he could go, as long as someone who was accepted declined and went somewhere else. It wasn't what we were hoping for, but it was better than a rejection. At least this was a possibility. Kurt and Blaine started searching online for apartments in New York City. They were trying to find the halfway point between their two schools and then they could commute. I tried suggesting that they board in the dorms for the first year, just to get the full college experience, but that idea was shot down almost immediately. They were going to New York to be together, they certainly weren't going to live on opposite sides of the city.

Late one night, Carol and I were discussing getting the boys ready for college. All three would be leaving at the end of August, which meant we really didn't have much time left with them home. Finn would be home most weekends, since his school was close enough, but Kurt and Blaine would be a plane ride away.

"I think we need to go on a family trip and have some quality bonding time with our boys." Carol suggested. It was a pretty good idea, although getting the whole family to agree on one place would prove to be a challenge.

"I guess we could discuss it with the boys and see where they want to go. We could have a family meeting and vote on it." I replied.

So that's how we ended up sitting around the kitchen table with five people shouting different things at once. Finally I slammed my hands down on the table and shouted "Shut Up!" Silence rang through the house. Maybe this trip wasn't the best idea we've had.

"One at a time, we will go around the table and suggest a place. There will be no interrupting. You can speak when it is your turn, and only then. You can only speak when you are holding the 'talking cookie'." I said as I picked up a cookie from the plate Carol had put out.

"What the hell is a talking cookie?" Kurt said.

"Language!" Carol shouted at him before I could respond.

"This cookie will be our talking cookie. We will pass it around the table and whoever is holding it can speak. Then you will pass it to the next person. Finn, you can go first since you are the next after me if we go clockwise."

"Ok, I want to go the Cedar Point. It's close and has great roller coasters."

"That's just stupid Finn" Kurt said.

"Kurt! You don't have the talking cookie, you can't talk!" Finn shouted while wildly waving the cookie in the air over his head.

"Thank you for your suggestion Finn, why don't you pass the cookie to Blaine." Carol said diplomatically to try and stop the talking cookie battle before it picked up any more steam. Finn handed the cookie to Blaine who looked at it confused.

"Blaine, you can make a trip suggestion now that you are holding the cookie. That's how it works." I tried to explain.

"No, I get how the cookie works. Why I'm confused about is how Finn took a bite out of the cookie without any of us noticing…" He said as he held up the cookie with a bite taken out of it.

"Ignore it and just continue."

"Fine… I think we should go to Hogwarts!"

Kurt beat me to responding to him. "Hogwarts is fictional. You can't go there Blaine."

"Yes you can! We can go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando! And we could all get wands and butterbeer and wizard hats!" He finished, extremely excited.

This time Carol responded.

"Ok Blaine sweetie, we'll add it to the list of suggestions to vote on. Don't get too excited just yet. And I really can't imagine Burt wearing a wizard hat or carrying a wand around an amusement park. Let's move on to Kurt. Why don't you pass him the cookie?"

Kurt grabbed the cookie from Blaine's hand as soon as he offered it. He clearly had a lot to say.

"First of all, Finn, Cedar Point is closed right now. It's winter. They don't open until the spring. Why would anyone go on an outdoor roller coaster when it's snowing? And Blaine, give it a rest, we know you're obsessed with Harry Potter. Yes, he's adorable, but that's not a good enough reason for you to drag the whole family there. If we went to Orlando, we'd probably end up going to Disney, since we all know Disney movies are way better than Harry Potter. And why is there only a quarter of the talking cookie left?"

All of this was said very quickly, in true Kurt fashion.

"I got hungry… and Finn ate a part of it too!" Blaine said, trying to defend himself.

"OK Kurt, just make your suggestion and move on." I said, trying to keep the peace.

"I think we should all go to a spa. It would be…"

"I don't want to go to a spa!" Finn interjected.

Once again, Carol and I had to stop a fight from breaking out.

"Finn, you can't talk when you don't have the talking cookie."

"But I do!" He said as he held up a small piece of the cookie that he broke off earlier. I heard Blaine mumble something along the lines of he should have kept his piece of the cookie instead of eating it. Kurt got out of his seat and practically jumped across the table to grab the piece of cookie that Finn was holding. Finn was using one arm to push Kurt away while holding his other arm out with the piece of cookie. By now the two of them were wrestling on the floor. Considering Kurt's hatred of sports, he could certainly hold his own in a fight. I looked at Blaine who was staring at the two of them in shock.

"Care to help? You get Kurt, I'll get Finn."

We went over to the two of them and tried to break them up. Blaine went to wrap his arms around Kurt's middle to pull him off Finn, but lost his balance and fell into the growing wrestling match. Rather than have the same thing happen to me, I grabbed Blaine's arm and pulled him up from the pile.

"Let's just leave them. They'll get tired eventually." Carol added while checking Blaine over to make sure he was OK.

Ten minutes later, Finn and Kurt were lying side by side on the floor panting. The piece of cookie was now spread all over the kitchen floor in a hundred different crumbs. Kurt's usually immaculate hair was wild and out of place.

"Are you two idiots finished?" I asked. Kurt nodded his head without getting off the floor. He looked up at Blaine, whose hair was just as out of place as his own.

"What happened to you Blaine?" He asked.

"I tried to pull you off of Finn, and you two pulled me into the fight."

"I don't think so. I would have remembered if you were in that fight." Kurt replied, followed by Finn adding in his own comment about not seeing Blaine either.

"Are you kidding? Neither of you realized I was there? I'm pretty sure one of you tried to bite me!" Blaine shouted.

Once everyone was settled back at the table, Carol started us going again.

"Ok, new talking cookie. You need the majority of it to be able to talk. And no eating the cookie. So far we have suggestions for Cedar Point, Harry Potter World and a spa. I hate to admit it, but Kurt was right. Finn, we can't go to Cedar Point this time of the year. Would you like to suggest a different idea?" After another minute of thinking about it and passing the cookie over, Finn suggested New York. "Ok, those are all good suggestions. I don't care where we go, as long as we get to spend time together as a family."

"Way to make us all look bad…" Kurt said under his breath. But not quiet enough. Carol heard.

"You certainly don't need any help!"

I grabbed the cookie and tried to get my suggestion in before everyone left the table angry.

"I think we should all go camping! It's the ultimate bonding experience; all of us sharing a tent out in the wilderness. Wouldn't that just be great?"

I was met with silence. Not even Carol was smiling. I guess they weren't as excited about it as I was. Carol finally spoke after a minute of everyone glaring at one another.

"Ok, we've had a few interesting ideas. Finn, New York was a good idea, but you boys may be going in a few months with glee club if you win the next competition. And we all know you are going to win. Blaine, Florida is a nice idea, but it's a little far for a long weekend trip. Maybe in the summer when we have a whole week off it'll be a good idea. Kurt, I'm sure you and I would both enjoy a spa, but I don't think anyone else would. Burt, honey, as Kurt said before, it's the middle of winter. Do you really think camping in a tent would be a good idea? I think we should all come up with another suggestion and meet up again in an hour." So we split off, everyone going to their own rooms. When I walked upstairs, past the boys' rooms, I heard laptops and computers starting up. I guess they would be more prepared this time around.

I walked back to the living room to talk to Carol.

"How about you and I don't make any suggestions, but we be the deciding factor on which of the boys' ideas we decided to go with." She said. I guess that could work. I'm sure at least one of them will come up with a tolerable suggestion.

An hour later, we were sitting around the kitchen table, this time with pizza.

"We will not be having a talking cookie this time. Nor will we have a talking pizza or anything else. You will each talk in turn, and not interrupt the others. If you do, you are disqualified and we will not even consider your suggestion. Deal?" I said. All three boys nodded their heads. "Ok, Finn, you're up again. What have you got for us?"

Finn stood up, shuffled the papers he brought with him and cleared his throat.

"I believe I have found the ideal family vacation! We should go on a tour of the world's biggest things, all located in Ohio! There's the world's biggest apple basket, the world's biggest rubber stamp, the world's longest bar and the world's largest Amish community!" He finished with an excited look on his face. He really thought this was the best idea ever.

"Good suggestion Finn, let's move on to Blaine and once we've heard all three ideas, we can vote." Finn sat back down, clearly a little upset that we weren't all praising him for being a genius and the best trip planner ever. Blaine stood up and cleared his throat. He didn't have any papers, unlike Finn.

"I was thinking about the camping suggestion. I think it would be a lot of fun and would totally be possible, as long as we stay in a cabin instead of a tent. Cabins have heat, separate rooms, electricity and indoor plumbing. We could still spend time outside and build a campfire, but we wouldn't all get frost bite." He finished and sat down. He must have really wanted to get on my good side, because normally, we would never have suggested something that Kurt would have been so against.

Kurt huffed and stood up. He walked around the table, handing out packets to each person.

"Contrary to what everyone else thinks, I have found the best family vacation spot of all time. The Mall of America! It's gigantic; it has tons of stores, a hotel, an amusement park, a spa and even an aquarium. It's fun for the whole family! There's information in your packets specialized to each of your interests. Thank you." With that, Kurt sat down again.

"Why don't we all think about the suggestions while we eat our pizza, then we can put it to a vote and decide." I said, even though I already knew what I was going to vote for. Everyone grumbled about having to wait, but the pizza disappeared quickly, probably just to get to the vote as quickly as possible. Once everything was cleaned up, we all sat back down at the table, waiting expectantly. I decided to start us off.

"OK, I will go first. I am going to vote for Blaine's idea, of camping in cabins. I think it would be a great chance to bond and spend quality time together." I finished, looking to Blaine, who was now sitting next to me.

"I'm going to stick with my idea and not change my vote. I think it would be fun."

Kurt was up next. He was glaring grumpily at Blaine, clearly ticked off that Blaine wasn't voting for his idea, meaning Kurt probably wouldn't be getting his way. This usually doesn't sit well with him. He spoke up, but was clearly mad.

"Well, I'm not changing my vote." He said simply, looking to Carol on his other side. She looked torn. I knew what she was thinking. She wanted to vote along with me, but she clearly also really wanted to go on a shopping trip with her personal stylist, Kurt.

"I'm going to vote for Kurt's suggestion. I think it would be fun. And it has an amusement park, which was Finn's first suggestion." She said, always trying to keep the peace.

We all turned to Finn. He was the final vote. I don't think he realized that yet, that the decision was ultimately up to him.

"Can I still vote for my idea?" He asked, with a dumbstruck look on his face. Carol sighed and tried to explain it to him.

"Sorry Sweetie, but since there are only five people voting, and two ideas have two votes each, you need to vote for one of them."

"So, I get to decide?"

"Yes, that's what it's come down to." Carol replied, while Kurt mumbled "unfortunately" under his breath.

"YES! Ok, what will you two give me if I vote for your idea?" He asked, directed right at Kurt and Blaine. Kurt, who was a little more used to Finn's antics was quicker than Blaine to respond.

"I'll do your chores for the next month!"

Just as Finn was about to agree, his phone beeped with a new text message. He read it and quickly said "I'm voting for Blaine's idea!" Then he sat down again and stared intently at the tabletop.

I looked over to see Blaine smirking and slipping his phone back into his pocket. If I chose to be a responsible father, I would figure out what type of blackmail Blaine had on Finn. But since I wanted to go camping, I could wait till we made the arrangements, that way we could still go camping. If I investigated too much, Finn may change his vote and I'd have to go spend a long weekend at a big mall.

The next day, after some research, I reserved a cabin (with electricity and plumbing) for the weekend after next. The boys had Monday and Tuesday off of school, so we would leave Friday night and get in 4 full days.

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><p><strong>AN: Up next: camping!**

**I just finished writing the next chapter and I had trouble containing my laughter. **

**For those of you wondering, I plan to continue this story up until graduation. After that, I may write a sequel if I have enough ideas, or else a new story all together. Thanks to the many people sticking with this story! Virtual/digital talking cookies for anyone who reviews! (Disclaimer: There are no actual cookies!)**

**:)**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:**

**Here is a chapter up early. You all have Darren Criss and Kermit the frog to thank for this. Their duet for the Oscars was the cutest thing ever and made me want to scream. I grew up watching The Muppet Show and Muppet movies (I'm dating myself here- as if Ace and Gary weren't a hint already), so to see Darren and Kermit together was the best thing ever!**

**http : / www. eonline. com/ redcarpet/ 2012/ oscars/ news/ watch- now- glee- star- darren- criss- and- kermit- the- frog- duet- before- the- oscars/ 296851**

**(remove the spaces for the awesomeness) Please note- Darren talks to Kermit, saying he's always been a fan, since he's a "small guy" just like Kermit.**

**Also, just a side note- Chapter 17 had over 400 visitors and chapter 16 only had 190, which means half of the readers missed it. I think I put it up right around a time when the site was down.**

**Enjoy the first half of our camping adventure- every couple of chapters I find a new favorite to replace my current one. The interaction between Blaine and Finn is currently my favorite awkward situation.**

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><p>I should have known camping with my three boys would be a little insane. I guess insane is an understatement. It was complete madness. It started out just fine. We drove out to the cabin in the woods. Luckily there was a campground not too far from Lima, complete with cabins and a lake. Finn, Blaine and I were the first ones into the cabin. We each had a backpack and a sleeping bag. Once we put our stuff down inside, we went back out to the truck to help Kurt and Carol with their bags. Carol didn't really bring that much, but she was the only one smart enough to pack the things we all forgot, like food, medicine and toiletries. Of course Kurt remembered, but since he had four bags, he clearly tried to bring everything he could possible need.<p>

We brought everything in from the truck and started to explore the cabin. There were two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one with two sets of bunk beds. Finn, normally not the best at math, was quick to point out the number of beds.

"Sweet! There are five beds! We each get our own! Since I'm the tallest, I think I should get the double bed!"

"That's not going to happen Finn. Carol and I get the separate room with the double bed, because we are the adults. You three boys will each get your own, separate bunk bed in the other room." I told him, as calmly as I could, since he was so excited at the prospect of his own room (which he has at home anyway). This did not go over well with him.

"Please don't make me share a room with the two of them! Even when they aren't having sex, they are disgustingly sweet and clingy around each other." Kurt jumped into the conversation to defend himself and Blaine before Blaine could turn any redder.

"We aren't any worse than the other couples at school; you just get a concentrated dose of our awesomeness since we can't even hold hands at school. Besides, we can control ourselves enough to share a room with you for a weekend."

Finally all the bags were put in the proper rooms. There was still some grumbling going on, but nothing loud enough for me to yell about.

Fortunately, we had eaten dinner before arriving, or else we would have to go outside in the pitch black to try and cook something. Unfortunately, there was no kitchen in the cabin, although there was a fire place which we could use to cook on when we weren't outside at the campfire. Tomorrow morning would prove to be interesting. Kurt was planning on making pancakes, even after realizing he would have only a fireplace to cook with. That evening went by easily, sitting on the couches and laughing. We took turns telling jokes, none of which were actually funny, until eventually everyone headed to bed. I went in to check on the boys and everyone was, surprisingly, in separate bunks.

Blaine was sitting calmly on the top of one set of bunk beds, and all the bags piled on the bed beneath him. Kurt was on the bottom bunk of the other set, with Finn on top. Apparently, Finn demanded this arrangement since it would mean a smaller chance of the two boyfriends getting up to any funny business while Finn was sleeping in the room.

"Good night guys. Get some sleep; we'll have a busy day tomorrow." I said before shutting off the light and walking across the living room to my room, where I found Carol already in bed.

I woke up to terrified screaming coming from the other room. It sounded like something was seriously wrong. I got to the boys room to find the lights on and Finn and Blaine standing on opposite sides of the room with terrified looks on their faces. Kurt was now on the top bunk of his and Finn's bunk bed laughing uncontrollably.

"What the hell is going on here? It's three in the morning!" I practically screamed.

No one answered me. Kurt kept laughing, while Finn and Blaine continued to glare at each other.

"Kurt, I thought you were on the bottom bunk before?" I asked.

"So did I!" Blaine shouted, clearly angry.

Once Blaine said that, I think I figured out what happened. Kurt and Finn must have switched beds at some point. Kurt was still laughing while clutching his stomach. Finn and Blaine both snapped at him at the same time.

"Shut up Kurt!" Finn said.

"This isn't funny!" Blaine said, getting more upset as time went on.

Carol finally joined us and made everyone sit down to calmly discuss what happened. Kurt started us off, since he didn't seem to be directly involved.

"After about an hour of lying in the bottom bunk, I realized I would never be able to sleep knowing that at any moment the top bunk could collapse and Finn's fat ass would crush me to death. Bunk beds weren't designed to hold freakishly tall giants like Finn. So I made him switch beds with me. He was half asleep and didn't complain."

Once Kurt was finished, Carol motioned for Blaine to go next. Now that he had calmed down a little, his cheeks were getting more and more red. He finally started to explain his side of the story, although he avoided eye contact with everyone in the room.

"I was kind of lonely over on the other side of the room by myself, so I decided to go see if Kurt was awake. Last I saw, he was on the bottom bunk. I didn't want to turn on the lights and wake up Finn so I just climbed into the bottom bunk with who I thought was Kurt." He finished, still bright red, staring at the floor. Carol motioned for Finn to go next, although we all knew what happened by now.

"I woke up to find Blaine trying to cuddle with me. I never need to get that close to another dude ever again." Finn practically yelled.

"I didn't know it was you!" Blaine argued.

"You kissed my neck!" Finn yelled back.

By now Kurt was laughing so hard he almost fell off the top bunk he was still sitting on. Blaine crossed his arms, huffed and walked over to his bed and laid down with his back facing everyone. Kurt kept laughing. It wasn't like him to laugh at Blaine, which made me think there was more to the story.

"What are you cackling about now Kurt?" I asked him

"They aren't telling you everything. I woke up when I heard Finn moaning. Moaning! He must have been asleep enough to think it was Rachel, because he seemed to really be enjoying it! I figured he was just having a dream. I leaned over the top bunk to make him stop and saw the two of them in bed together, cuddling. Finn was just as guilty of the cuddling. I kindly asked them what was going on. I guess when Blaine realized I was on the top bunk; he screamed, fell out of bed and woke up Finn." By now Finn had stormed out of the room into the bathroom and slammed the door, while Blaine was still pretending to sleep. Once he was sure Finn was out of earshot, he continued. "I know first hand what Blaine is capable of, and I can almost guarantee Finn is going to have a hickey on his neck!"

I didn't really know how to respond to something like this happening. I just shook my head and walked out of the room. Carol joined me in our room a few minutes later.

"I got Finn to come out of the bathroom and go to sleep, although he's on the couch in the living room. He said he didn't want to stay in that room tonight. Kurt finally stopped laughing long enough to apologize to Blaine. I know Blaine was awake, but he ignored us and pretended to be asleep. Oh, and based on how large the hickey was on Finn's neck, I'm surprised we haven't noticed Kurt with them. He's so much paler." She finished.

"Unfortunately I have noticed Kurt with hickeys before. I walked in on them once when Kurt didn't have a shirt on. There were a few on his chest and a couple on his hips. I'd rather not think about this anymore tonight. Let's get to sleep and maybe tomorrow we can all pretend this didn't happen." I said to Carol. We both went to sleep, somewhat dreading the morning.

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of pancakes. I rolled over, expecting an empty space and bumped into Carol who was still in bed. I guess that meant the boys (and by boys I mean just Kurt) were cooking. How, I don't know, since there wasn't a stove, just a fireplace. Kurt really wasn't one to "rough it".

I walked out to the living room to see Kurt sitting by the fireplace, cooking pancakes on a frying pan balanced over a small fire. He had a second pan with bacon frying. Finn was still asleep on the couch, snoring lightly. I decided to try and talk to Kurt about last night before the other boys got up.

"Hey Kurt, I know last night was kind of hilarious, but can you try to not bring it up today. I think Blaine is really embarrassed, and Finn isn't much better."

"I know Dad, I apologized to Blaine last night and we made up. I'm making him I'm sorry pancakes and bacon. They are for everyone, but Blaine's has a piece of bacon giving it a smiley face. Finn could also use an apology breakfast as well. I just couldn't stop laughing last night… it was so funny." He said as he went back to fixing breakfast.

A little while later, we were all sitting around the table enjoying our breakfast, which was surprisingly good considering it was made without a kitchen. The boys seemed ok, a bit tense, but there was no fighting. Just a lot of awkward silence. I was about to say something but Carol squeezed my leg and shook her head slightly, just enough for me to know that I should give them a chance to work this out on their own.

"Ok, boys, Burt and I are going to go for a walk around the camp grounds to see what's available to us. Since Kurt did the cooking, Finn and Blaine can work together to clean up. Maybe you two can sort out whatever happened last night so we don't have to spend the rest of our vacation in awkward silence. Enjoy!" Carol announced to the room and she stood up, grabbed my hand and dragged me to the front door. Luckily it wasn't that cold out, since she didn't even give me an opportunity to grab my jacket. I wanted to stay and listen, but Carol put her foot down and said it was something for them to work out on their own.

The campground really was nice. There was a lake with a dock and some boats tied up, a lot of hiking trails and many campfire rings laid out, one right outside of our cabin. I collected a small pile of dried wood to start a fire. It wasn't a lot, but the boys could collect some later so we'd have enough. By the time we got back to the cabin, the boys were all sitting around the living room chatting in a very friendly manner. Whatever happened, they must have been able to talk it out. The rest of the day was spent hiking and exploring the grounds around our cabin. It was nice to just spend time as a family.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Here's the second half of camping. I'll do my best to keep the updates coming, but the wait may start to get a little longer. I've been trying to write and post quickly, but I think the quality of the writing has gone down, so I'm going to try and give myself a little more time for proof-reading and editing. **

**Enjoy:)**

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><p>We decided to start out the evening by building a campfire. Blaine and Finn were sent into the woods to gather firewood. I would have sent Kurt too, but I didn't trust Kurt and Blaine alone. They would have never come back. Kurt worked with Carol preparing dinner. We would attempt to cook over the campfire. Once we had the fire wood stacked properly and the extra piled on the side, it was time to start it. None of my boys had been out in the wilderness long enough to know how to start a fire, but we were finally able to get some flames going. After dinner we broke out the marshmallows and starting making s'mores. It took a while to get the hang of it and to learn how everyone liked their marshmallows cooked. Every time one would catch on fire and be burned past the point of being appetizing it was passed to Blaine, since he liked his to look like charcoal briquettes. We started talking about the last time any of us did anything like this. I know for me, the last time I built a campfire was when Kurt was in the second grade. Right after Elizabeth died, I knew I had to get more involved in Kurt's life, so I ended up being a chaperone on a scouting camping trip.<p>

"So there I was, in the middle of the woods with 3 other parents who had never been camping before. For some reason, they had the boy scouts and the girl scouts together on the same trip. I think just because there weren't enough parents willing to go from just one group. Besides, 7 year olds really can't get up to much mischief in that department. So it was me, Mike Chang Sr. and the Berry's. I was glad the girls were invited too, because Mercedes was staying with us for the weekend since her mom was in the hospital having her little brother."

"Hey! I was on that trip!" Finn added, excited to realize he'd been camping with Kurt and I before.

"I remember that. I didn't know you were one of the chaperones!" Carol added. "I was supposed to go, but couldn't get off work that weekend."

"Oh yeah, I remember we were supposed to have a mother there too, who couldn't come at the last minute. We were really nervous when we realized a group of four guys were responsible for the group of girls with us." I said as Finn and Kurt both stared off into space, trying to remember the other being there. Kurt spent most of his time with the girls, and since I was responsible for him and Mercedes, I didn't get to know all the boys on the trip. I continued to tell them about the trip, and the chaos that ensued. I had to start the fire, since the Berry's weren't very handy when it came to the wilderness, and Mike spent all day in a business suit in an office. While we were sitting around the fire roasting marshmallows, just like my family was doing now, a group of guys pulled up to the campsite next to ours. They were loud and rowdy, playing music so loud we could hardly hear each other talking. The other chaperones wanted to just move to another camping spot, but that seemed to be too much work with all the kids. Besides, we were there first. Since the other men there weren't the best at dealing with guys like that, I went over to ask them if they could lower the volume. I calmly explained that we were camping with the scouts and if they wouldn't mind moving to another spot. By the time I was done talking to them, they turned off the music and pulled away. I walked back to our camp to see the men staring at me speechless. I handed the each a beer that I had gotten from the other guys. They asked how I did that and why I wasn't beaten up.

"With their pick-up, Lynyrd Skynyrd music and some beer, they're my tribe." I had told them. For that, I was awarded the warrior feather, which I ended up giving to Kurt, since his headband didn't have any feathers, and he thought it was pretty.

Later during that trip, a group of cheerleaders came by and were playing Madonna music loudly. This time Hiram Berry said "Let me handle them. THAT is my tribe." Ten minutes later I had to walk over and rescue him from being beaten up by a group of high school girls. Needless to say, that was the last time I had been camping.

Once I finished telling the details of the scouting trip, everyone around the fire was laughing. Finn and Kurt both remembered the trip now that we were talking about it, but they didn't specifically remember the other being there. But between the two of them, they were able to figure out which of their current friends were with them on the trip. Besides the two of them, Rachel and Mercedes, there was also Mike, Artie (pre-wheelchair) and Brittany. Puck joined their troop later, after Kurt had quit. Puck was actually a year older than my boys, but was held back in fifth grade. I would have to search when we got home and see if I could find a picture from that camping trip. It would be nice to be able to hang up a picture in the house of Finn and Kurt together as kids. We continued to tell stories about funny things that had happened to each of us while in the great outdoors. Eventually Carol decided to head into bed. Kurt was half asleep, but had no intention of leaving Blaine's side, so the four of us stayed around the camp fire. I walked back to the truck and got something out of the trunk I had brought just for an opportunity like this. While I know Carol wouldn't approve, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"I guess I should start treating you all like adults, since soon you'll be off on your own in the world, responsible for yourselves. So, men, let's have a drink." I passed glasses to each of them and pulled out the bottle of whiskey I brought from home. Kurt looked at me like I was crazy, Blaine looked between me and Kurt to see if Kurt was in on some sort of joke, and Finn looked overly excited. I poured a little into each of their classes, with a little extra in my own. "Bottoms up!" I said as I drank my shot. Finn followed behind me, but Kurt and Blaine were still looking at me like I was insane.

"Go on boys, I know this isn't the first time. Kurt, I've had to pick you up from school because you puked on that little guidance counselor. And Blaine, I found you hung over in Kurt's bed before you two were even dating. And based on Finn's ability to down that shot at once without choking, that wasn't his first time either." I said. Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, shrugged, clinked their glasses together and downed the shots.

"Now that's more like it!" I refilled the glasses, with a little more than the first time and filled my glass all the way. We started talking and I could tell the boys were starting to loosen up a little. An hour later, we were sitting around the dying fire laughing hysterically. We must have been pretty loud, because Carol came outside to find out what was going on. Once she realized that I was drunk, along with our three boys, she got extremely mad. In the back of my mind, I knew she was right. I had only planned on giving them each one shot. But by the time Carol came outside, the bottle had been completely emptied. She started to drag us inside one by one. She started with Finn, since he seemed to be aware enough to be guided in without her having to do much work. Blaine was passed out on the ground face down and Kurt was sitting on top of him holding the empty whiskey bottle up to his eye to look inside. Carol came back out and started to help Kurt up. This must have woken Blaine up a little, since he started to groan and giggle at the same time.

"Come on Kurt, I have to get you to bed."

"That's what he said!" Kurt shouted and broke into a fit of giggles.

"It's funny because we like sex!" Blaine added while trying to control his giggling.

"Did you know if you say 'New Directions' really fast it sounds like 'Nude Erections'?" Kurt asked the group at large, not directing his question at anyone in particular.

"Hey Kurt, I like your nude..." Blaine started before I quickly covered his mouth with my hand.

"Don't finish that sentence Blaine." I told him. Luckily he stopped talking. He also stopped standing as he started to pass out again. I picked him up and carried him into their room, while Carol practically dragged Kurt with her. We both realized the problem at the same time. Finn was on the bottom bunk of one set, and there was no way we would be able to get one of these drunken boys safely onto the top bunk.

"They'll just end up in the same bed anyway; can't we just dump them both on the bottom bunk?" I asked Carol.

"Is that really responsible parenting?" She asked. I was starting to get very tired, very quickly, so I dropped Blaine onto the bed. Carol was clearly struggling under Kurt's weight, even though he was the lightest of the three boys. She finally made up her mind and let Kurt fall on top of Blaine. Both were unconscious now, so they didn't seem to care. I thought about moving them over so they wouldn't crush each other, then I realized I was quite drunk myself as Carol caught me right before falling over. She led me back to our room, where I fell onto the bed and fell asleep within seconds. I didn't even bother to take off my shoes or hat.

The next morning I was woken by a sound so loud I thought the house had blown up, followed quickly by a splitting headache that involved by eyeballs being put into a vise until the almost popped. I brought my head up from under the pillow to see Carol standing in the doorway banging a metal pot and pan together. She had an evil smile on her face.

"Good Morning Honey!" She shouted before walking into the boys' room. I heard more noise, this time it lasted much longer, but at least it wasn't right next to my head. I heard her shout to the boys.

"Time to get up my darling angels!"

I decided to get up on my own accord rather than have Carol come back in for round two.

I walked to the main room to find the couch had a blanket and pillow on it. Carol was at the fire place making a pot of coffee, clearly pissed off.

"Did you sleep out here?" I asked her, already knowing she must have.

"Yes I did. After you gracefully collapsed across the middle of our bed, I couldn't slide your fat ass over and decided it would be easier to sleep somewhere else. I briefly thought about taking one of the open bunks in the boys' room, but then I realized I'd have to climb into a top bunk in the dark and opted for the couch. What were you thinking, getting our boys drunk? They aren't old enough. I can't believe you." She was really pissed now. She grabbed the pot and pan again before walking back into the boys' room. A lot of noise and yelling later, three boys made their way into the room while showing various signs of sever hangovers. Kurt had his head in his hands and his eyes closed tightly. Blaine was resting his head on Kurt's shoulder while wearing large, hot pink sunglasses. Finn had a hood up and was squinting around the room. After coffee and showers, Carol decided we would all go for a hike to get some fresh air. This idea was met with four equal groans. I'll admit I wasn't feeling too hot myself.

By the time dinner rolled around, everyone was feeling a little better. We spent a relaxing night in, but this time we didn't add booze to the mix. We played Monopoly for a few hours, but never bothered finishing the game. It would have been impossible with all three boys cheating so badly. Carol wasn't as mad about last night, but while we were lying in bed that night, she told me why she had been angry.

"You know what you did was really irresponsible, right?" After I nodded, she continued. "I thought I was mad about that, which would have made me a good mom, but really, I was just upset I wasn't included, which is terrible, but still…" She said, drifting off. .Great, now I felt bad about being a terrible father and a terrible husband.

"I'm sorry sweetie. I didn't even think you'd want to join us. The next night of drunken debauchery will include you!"

She smacked my arm, but laughed, so I knew we were OK.

The rest of the trip went by uneventfully, with the exception of one incident. The boys had gone out to the lake to explore and see about taking a boat out. Carol and I had the cabin to ourselves, so after some quality alone time, we decided to take a shower. I'll admit we were a little distracted when we got into the bathroom, so it took us a little while to realize that the shower was already occupied. Unfortunately we didn't realize this until we walked into the bathroom without knocking, because really, everyone was out of the house, we shouldn't have to check if someone, or someones were already in the shower. After a round of surprised screams Carol ran back to our room to put on more than a towel.

The rest of the trip went by uneventfully, with the exception of one incident. The boys had gone out to the lake to explore and see about taking a boat out. Carol and I had the cabin to ourselves, so after some quality alone time, we decided to take a shower. I'll admit we were a little distracted when we got into the bathroom, so it took is a moment to realize that the shower was already occupied. Unfortunately we didn't realize this until we were walking into the bathroom without knocking, because really, everyone was out of the house, we shouldn't have had to check if someone or someones were using the shower. After a round of surprised screams, Carol ran back to our room to put on more than a towel.

Blaine turned quickly and slipped, grabbing the shower curtain and pulling it with him. Kurt made to grab the shower curtain to hide behind as it was pulled down and slipped and ended up tangled with Blaine on the ground. I went back to our room to grab some clothes as Carol was coming out.

"You might want to give them a minute before you go in there. I just got an eyeful." I told her as I walked into the bedroom. I grabbed jeans, a t-shirt and a flannel shirt and went back out to find Carol and the boys in the living room. Kurt and Blaine were both wearing jeans but no shirts yet. Blaine had tears in his eyes while Carol poked his shoulder which appeared to be dislocated.

"OK Blaine, this is going to hurt, but we can pop it back in to place now, or you can stay in pain for another hour while we drive to the hospital, where you'll get something for the pain before we put it back. Your choice." Carol told him. He appeared to think about it for a while, but finally decided to just let Carol fix it now and get it over with. We figured out what everyone needed to do. Kurt and I had to hold Blaine in place while Carol pulled his arm as hard as she could. There was an audible pop and sudden Blaine's shoulder didn't look nearly as bad. Carol and Kurt helped Blaine into one of my extra flannel shirts since it buttoned up and he couldn't get a t-shirt on yet, and then fixed his arm in a sling since it would still bother him for a while.

An hour later, we settled around the living room talking and drinking hot cocoa. Finn filled us in on what happened at the lake. The boys had found a boat to take out, but after a disagreement over who was "captain", Blaine ended up falling into the lake. I'm pretty sure Finn pushed him in, but none of the boys mentioned exactly how it happened. Since it was still February, the water was pretty cold, so Blaine came in immediately to take a hot shower, and I guess Kurt thought he needed company. Finn thought the whole thing was pretty funny, except for the part about us finding the boys.

The last morning of our trip was spent trying to pack everything up that we had brought with us that had somehow, magically, been spread out over the entire cabin. Kurt was busy packing all of his clothes and accessories that he of course didn't need, but brought anyway. I decided to help Blaine since he still couldn't use one of his arms. Luckily he wasn't as picky as Kurt. If he was, I wouldn't have been able to grab all of his stuff and shove it into his bag. I would have had to fold and sort everything. It was bad enough opening his bag to find condoms in there, at least this way I could shove stuff in the bag quickly enough to try and pretend they weren't there. But I did see them.

And I also saw that they were strawberry flavored…


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Here's a bit of filler. Many of you wanted to know what Finn was offered in exchange for his vote, so this seemed like a good time to work it in. Enjoy!

:)

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><p>We all returned safely from camping, with only minor injuries. I decided to try and go back to being a responsible parent after my little stunt with the whiskey. Blaine still had something on Finn that caused us to all go camping, and I really wanted to know what. It was most likely blackmail, but I guess he could have offered him something in exchange for his vote.<p>

I tried to get Blaine alone, but between Kurt and Carol, he always had someone with him, helping him do tasks that were difficult with only one arm. I suspected his arm was better, but he enjoyed having Carol baby him. He never had the opportunity to be mothered that much, so he was enjoying every minute of it. My chance finally came when Carol went to work, Finn was playing video games at Puck's and Kurt was reorganizing his closet, preparing for spring fashion trends.

Blaine was sitting on the love seat in the living room watching one of the Harry Potter movies. He suggested them every family movie night, but we never watched them since he was the only one to ever vote for them. I sat down next to him and watched a few minutes of the movie. We had reached the point where he was comfortable alone with any of us. For a while, he was only truly comfortable when Kurt was in the room.

"So Blaine how's your arm?" I asked him. I figured I'd start with simple questions before the interrogation started.

"Oh, it's not too bad. I can use it now, but it still kind of hurts. It should be better in a day or two." He said.

"Yeah, that was one hell of a camping trip. We certainly had some real family bonding time. It was just what we needed." I said, while he looked at me like he kind of knew where I was going with this. But I continued anyway. "I'm glad we got the majority of votes to go camping. It was a great suggestion you had… So… how did you get Finn to vote for it?"

He immediately sat up straighter. "It wasn't blackmail! You have no proof!" He said very quickly.

"What was it? What did you offer Finn that made him immediately vote for your idea? It had to have been better than a month of no chores that Kurt was offering him."

"Well," he started, "it wasn't so much that I offered him something, more that I was offering him something that was offered to me, that I knew he was interested in. He overheard a conversation I had with someone and was shocked I wasn't interested. I was simply offering to suggest he take my place to the person who offered the opportunity to me."

"You're being awfully vague kid…" I finally said, after he spent some time tripping over his words and not actually saying anything specific.

"Look, I really don't want to say what it was. It makes me uncomfortable even thinking about it… Besides, if I told you, Finn would probably kill me. He'd be pissed if I ruined his chance at this." He said, clearly a little nervous.

"OK, I'll make a deal with you, just tell me what it was, and Finn will never know you told me. If he does find out that I know, he'll just think I found out through eavesdropping. He already knows how often I do that." Oh… maybe I shouldn't have admitted to eavesdropping. He looked like he was debating whether or not to tell me.

"You have to promise me you won't let Finn know I told you." After I nodded, he continued. "OK, well… I'm not sure where to start… I guess I should tell you that Kurt and I are now friends with Brittany and Santana. I know we were fighting for a while, but we've gotten closer being the only four gay kids who were out at school. Well… Brittany is actually interested in girls and guys. They sort of… propositioned me to… um… join them." He finally finished looking redder than usual.

"Join them where?"

"Um… well… this is really gross and I immediately said no… and then I may have thrown up… But they want a guy to join them in… the… um… bedroom. When I said 'No thank you' Brittany said if I did I would get to play with her boobs, then she showed them to me and I ran to the bathroom to throw up. Finn overhead and said I was the luckiest man alive. So that's what I offered. That I would suggest him to Santana since they were still looking for a guy."

Wow. Somehow this short little gay guy was offered a threesome with the two hottest, most popular girls in school. And he turned them down and threw up thinking about it. I was proud of him for being loyal to himself and Kurt, but any other teenage boy would kill their own families for an opportunity like that.

"Really? They offered that to you? Don't they know you don't like girls like that?" I asked him.

"Yeah, they do, but they still asked. And Finn overheard. Now he and Puck think I'm some sort of sex god and keep telling all the glee guys how awesome I am. Luckily, Finn didn't tell everyone about me getting sick. Please don't tell him I told you. He'd never forgive me."

I thought about it for a minute. Realistically, those girls will most likely turn Finn down. He's kind of goofy. I can see why they would ask Blaine. They were friends with him, he was smart, somewhat good looking (if what Kurt and Carol have said are true), and friends with both of the girls. Finn on the other hand… was… well, Finn.

"Alright. I won't mention anything to Finn. We both know he'll probably get turned down anyway. Thanks for being honest with me Blaine."

"No problem. Thanks for being interested enough to ask me about what goes on. No one has every done that before." He said. It made me feel a little bad that I didn't talk to him more. I'll have to try and start working some time into my schedule to spend with each boy individually.

"So… you actually threw up?" I asked him. His face went right back to bright red.

"Yeah… She grabbed my hand and made me touch them… They were gross and kind of squishy. So I ran to the bathroom and threw up. Even after that, they still told me to think about their offer. I guess they couldn't take a hint. Do they really think I could do… that… with them? That would just be disgusting!" He finished. I couldn't help but laugh. He looked a little disappointed so I quickly reassured him that I wasn't laughing at him, but more at his situation.

Later on that night, since we were still feeling in the mood for some family time, we broke out the old home movies and photo albums. At first Carol thought this would be a bad idea, since Blaine didn't have any photos or movies from when he was little, but he insisted he was excited to see ours. Carol made some popcorn while I set up the old VCR. None of our home movies were put on DVD yet, but luckily I had an old VCR in the basement to play the tapes. First we saw some movies of Finn as a baby, going up through early high school. Most of the pictures were from around town. They didn't get many vacations in. I knew what it was like being a single parent. Between working all the time and just trying to make ends meet, it's tough to work in a vacation.

When it was time to see the videos from Kurt's childhood, there were a few really funny memories that I had forgotten, so Carol never heard about them. Most of our movies had Elizabeth in them, but I knew that Carol wouldn't mind. The first time we paused the videos was at a picture of a five year old Kurt wearing a princess tiara and fairy wings while standing at the exit of Disney World. It was incredibly cute, since he was so tiny, and everyone started cracking up. I heard Blaine make a comment about what an adorable princess Kurt made, but Carol's question caught my attention.

"Why is your only picture from Disney taken outside the park at the exit?" She asked. It was a very good point. Most people take pictures inside the park. But I had a very good reason, although Kurt beat me to telling the story.

"We don't have any pictures from inside the park, because Dad got us kicked out! We only had a few hours in the park until we had to leave."

It's true; I did get us thrown out of the park. But I had a really good reason…

"I may have been the cause of them asking us to leave. We were in one of the stores looking at the souvenirs. We let Kurt pick one thing to get. He of course chose the princess tiara and wings. When we went up to check out, this guy working behind the counter told Kurt that those things were for girls, and that he should go pick out a pirate hat or a Star Wars light saber. Once Kurt started to cry because the guy said he liked girl things, Elizabeth starting yelling at the guy. When he yelled back that letting Kurt get a tiara would make him gay, I punched him in the face. I was very proud as we were escorted from the park. No one yells at my son or wife and gets away with it."

By now Carol, Finn and Blaine were all laughing hysterically. Kurt was laughing too, but he already knew how the story ended. Finally, Carol spoke again.

"Is that why you were so against going to Florida? Were you actually banned from the park?"

"No, I wasn't banned… I was just asked to leave. They didn't actually say I couldn't go back ever… Besides, if we go back, I know I'll just get kicked out again."

"And why is that?" She asked me.

"Because this time Kurt and Blaine will each want a tiara, so I'll have to punch two shop workers!"

"I also want fairy wings like Kurt had!" Blaine added in and we all started laughing again. Finally we got through all the movies from the younger years. We moved on to high school movies. We had a few glee club numbers, as well as football games and a cheerleading competition. We had to stop the cheerleading one halfway through, since Blaine was staring and making Kurt uncomfortable. It was the one where he sang with Mercedes and danced… a lot. Once Blaine snapped out of it, we saw some of Finn's football games, including the one where Kurt was the kicker on the team. Blaine couldn't stop laughing when he saw the entire football team dancing to single ladies. Carol and I had seen them before, but still found it hilarious. It's one thing for Kurt to dance to that kind of music. But to see the entire football team was just plan hilarious.

"What made you quit the football team Kurt?" Carol asked him.

"The coach made us pick between football and glee. I didn't even need to think about it. I march right in there and told them I was leaving football for glee club. They did not take the news well." Kurt said.

"They probably would have taken better if you didn't announce it in the showers, dude." Finn added.

After the videos we passed around some old photo albums. Blaine brought some photos down from his room that we were able to grab back when we cleaned out his old room. He was a pretty cute kid, especially with that mop of curly hair. All of the photos were either of just Blaine, or Blaine and his mother, and none of them were taken after what looked like middle school age. My guess was the photos stopped when Blaine came out to his parents. Luckily, after the embarrassment of some of Kurt's baby photos, Carol had some embarrassing photos too. We decided to end the night after Carol pulled out a picture of Finn wearing her high heels. Kurt and Blaine were laughing so hard they were crying and couldn't breathe. All in all, it was a great night.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Here's a little Burt and Carol time. I just love them both! **

**Enjoy and let me know what you think :)**

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><p>The next day Carol was off from work, so I decided to come home during lunch to surprise her. I opened the front door and walked into the living room. I was met with the sound of sniffling. I found Carol on the couch with a glass of wine and the photo albums from last night.<p>

"What's wrong babe?" I asked her while sitting down next to her on the couch. When I saw the wine bottle was almost empty, I took the glass out of her hand and moved it to the coffee table.

"Our babies are all grown up and are going to be leaving us soon…" She said through tears, while hugging a stack of photos to her chest. "All three of my babies are going to leave me!"

I looked more closely at the pictures she was holding. She had a few pictures of Finn as a baby, a few of both Kurt and Blaine as little kids, and the silver frame she had gotten for Christmas that said 'Mom' and had all three of them in. I was amazed she was crying over all three of them and not just Finn. I know she's a great mom and treated them all equally, but now I really knew that she saw all three of them as her sons, equally.

Normally, Carol wasn't a crier, which is one of the many things I love about her, but after an entire bottle of wine the waterworks started. On a few other occasions, Carol had a bit too much to drink and got a little weepy, but this was by far the worst. I guess after those home videos yesterday, today she was a little more emotional.

"How about I make you some coffee and we can watch some more home movies before the boys get home?" I asked her as I got up to head to the kitchen to make some coffee. If Carol didn't sober up, the boys would get home from school to find a drunken Carol in the middle of the afternoon. Once the coffee was finished I brought two cups in and handed one to Carol. I put in a video of Finn from when he was little. She was still crying, but at least now she was slightly calmer. One video was of Finn singing in his bedroom while dressed as a cowboy, which complemented his cowboy wall paper perfectly.

"Finn cried and cried until I got that cowboy wallpaper." Carol said through her tears. "He actually threw a tantrum right in the middle of the store. I finally bought it just so he would calm down. He didn't ask for much over the years, so I figured something nice once in a while would be ok. It took hours to hang. And I didn't even realize one of the panels was upside down until it was finished. We just left it like that." Finally, she was starting to laugh a little.

"Well we had a similar fight over the color of Kurt's room when he was little. First he wanted pink with a unicorn boarder. He cried and cried, but I kept trying to talk him out of the pink. He didn't talk to me for a week straight. I finally talked him into blue, but he needed a very specific color. We had to bring a doll and a movie poster with us so we could match the exact blue of Prince Eric's eyes from The Little Mermaid. Once I finished painting his room and Elizabeth finished decorating it with different Disney movie posters, Kurt thanked me for painting his pretty room. Then he told me he was going to marry Prince Eric one day, so it was good his room was already painted to match his eyes." I said.

"Oh my god! That's too funny!" Carol said as she started to get up. She walked over to the shelves of DVDs and pulled out The Little Mermaid. She handed me the case before speaking again. "Take a good look at Prince Eric. Who do you see?"

I looked at the cover for a minute before it finally clicked. The eyes were the only thing throwing me off.

"Whoa! He was right! He is going to marry Prince Eric!" With the exception of hazel instead of blue eyes, Blaine was a dead ringer for Prince Eric. Even down to the gelled back hair. We spent the next ten minutes laughing hysterically until we could finally talk again. I put the pictures and videos away while Carol went into the kitchen to bake some cookies for when the boys got home from school. The cookies were just coming out of the oven when the boys walked in the door. Blaine and Finn went right to the cookie sheets that were cooling on top of the oven. There were suddenly equal yells as they simultaneously burned their hands on the hot cookies. Blaine ran to the sink to run his hand under cold water while Finn opened the freezer and stuck his hand inside. Meanwhile, Kurt grabbed a cookie off the tray and ate it. He wasn't big on sweets (since "they go right to your hips"), but he really enjoyed taunting both Finn and Blaine.

"How can you just pick up that cookie? They are boiling hot!" Blaine said while grabbing an ice pack from the freezer for his burned hand.

"I have asbestos fingers." Kurt responded calmly, while doing 'jazz hands'. "From cooking so much. Maybe if you two actually cooked when it was your turn, you'd be able to have a cookie now!" There was a chore chart and each boy had one night a week that they were responsible for dinner. Both Finn and Blaine tended to pawn their cooking nights off on Kurt. He usually didn't mind since he liked cooking. I know that Finn always traded Kurt cooking and laundry duties for outdoor jobs. Kurt refused to shovel snow or mow the grass. Conveniently enough Finn loved those jobs almost as much as he hated cooking and laundry. After the first few nights of "Blaine Surprise", Kurt learned not to let Blaine cook. "Blaine Surprise" was basically any ingredients or leftovers that were in the fridge all thrown together. We suffered through the first night to save his feelings, but the second and third time we gave up and ordered pizza or Chinese. Since then, Kurt had always cooked on Blaine's night. Blaine didn't get any extra chores from Kurt, but I didn't ask what he traded because, honestly, I was afraid of the answer. But I was pretty sure there was some sort of illegal sex trade going on in my house.

I wanted to change the subject before a fight broke out, since it was bound to happen whenever chores were discussed.

"So! Who has plans for tomorrow night?" Carol asked in an excited voice as she clapped he hands together.

"What's tomorrow night?" Finn and Blaine both asked me at the same time. Kurt smacked the back of Blaine's head, and then stormed out of the room with a glare on his face. Blaine had a dumbstruck look on his face, which matched Finn's pretty well. Carol took pity on them and decided to tell them so they could try and make a last ditch attempt at salvaging the evening.

"Tomorrow is Valentine's Day." She said.

"Oh shit!" Blaine shouted, while smacking his head against the wall repeatedly.

"Language!" Carol said while she smacked him on top of the head with the spatula she was still holding from the cookies.

"Why don't you call around and try to see if any restaurants have any reservations left? But before you do that, stop hitting my wall with your head. If you want to damage your brain, go use the sidewalk. I just painted that wall; I don't need you getting gel all over it." I told Blaine while handing him the phone to call some restaurants. Blaine went upstairs to his room and closed the door so he could attempt to salvage Valentine's Day.

"So Finn, who's the lucky lady you'll be taking out tomorrow evening?" I purposely didn't say 'lucky ladies' since I overheard Santana verbally castrate Finn when he asked her about the threesome.

"I was supposed to be with Rachel. We got back together the day after the camping trip. But then she saw a hickey on my neck and started yelling at me since she thought that meant Quinn went on the camping trip with us. I told her it was from Blaine, but she just called me a liar and kicked me out." He said. I had almost forgotten about that fiasco during the camping trip.

"Why don't you invite her over to join us tonight for dinner? I can tell her you were telling the truth." Carol offered. I was impressed. I know she wasn't a fan of Rachel Berry, but after Quinn, she probably would have accepted anyone Finn brought home.

"You should also make plans for tomorrow night. I don't care if it's with Rachel, Quinn or even Puck, I want all three of you boys out of the house until at least 11pm. It's a Friday, so feel free to sleep over somewhere." I said, staking my claim on the house. Between hectic work schedules and three boys, Carol and I hardly got time alone. Today we should have had some time, but Carol spent it drinking and crying over baby pictures. "Why don't you go upstairs and find somewhere you can take someone. Let Blaine know that they have to be out of the house tomorrow night too."

When I finished talking, Finn stalked upstairs. I heard him stop in Blaine's room, then go to his own to try and find a date and a place to bring her.

Later on that night we were enjoying vegetarian lasagna and garlic bread, all prepared by Kurt. Rachel agreed to come to dinner (hence the depressing lack of meat in my lasagna), and after both Carol and I told her about the incident with Blaine, she finally believed us. All it took was one comment about the hickey for Blaine to excuse himself, grab an extra serving of dinner and run up to his room for the rest of the meal. No matter how embarrassed he was, he wasn't willing to miss out on Kurt's cooking. Speaking of our chef, Kurt was still mad that Blaine forget tomorrow was Valentine's Day. He finally told me he had made reservations months ago. He wasn't worried about that, what he was mad about was that Blaine had completely forgotten.

Once Rachel left, after agreeing to going out with Finn tomorrow, I went up to tell Blaine he didn't have to worry about making plans. He was glad, since he called a bunch of restaurants without finding a single one with an open table. He did manage to plan something fun. He wanted to run it by me first, but I was more than happy to agree to it. He had convinced Brittany to host a glee club Valentine's party. After all the couples went to their individual dates, they would meet at Brittany's house for a sleepover. This fit my plans perfectly, since it meant all three boys would be gone until Saturday morning, and Carol and I would have the house to ourselves.

"OK Blaine, I have one ground rule for you. I don't care what you two get up to, but whatever you do, do NOT get kicked out. If you do, you're sleeping in your car. I'm locking the door and not letting any of you boys back until the morning. Got it?" I said. He nodded his head, clearly a little to nervous to speak. I may have yelled the last part there…

Luckily, my plan worked. I threatened everyone just enough to keep them from getting into too much trouble. Carol and I were able to have a relaxing dinner at home, followed by a movie we really didn't watch and an evening of uninterrupted alone time.

The next day, the boys returned around lunch time. Kurt and Blaine were talking once again, and Finn had made it through the night without making Rachel mad. This time he actually seemed pretty happy with her. All in all, I'd say we survived yet another holiday.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I had wanted to get this up earlier, but life has gotten in the way. I had a wedding to go to this weekend, and between the rehearsal dinner, the wedding and finally a brunch the next day, it sort of took up my entire weekend. It was a lot of fun though. I'll try to get another chapter up soon to make up for the long wait on this one. This chapter is a little shorter since it's centered more around Finn. He doesn't write himself like Burt, Kurt and Blaine do. I really don't have to work to write them. I just type and they come out. **

**Enjoy :) **

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><p>When March rolled around, we were faced with a bit of a dilemma. The Cheerios had done well and were once again going to Nationals. This meant Kurt and Blaine would be away for the entire week for the competition. While we were all very excited about this, the problem was that it also happened to be Finn's birthday. We were trying to convince Finn that he could wait until the weekend to celebrate his birthday, that way his brothers could be there. He agreed, but was clearly upset about it. After he stomped upstairs to his room to play video games, I walked into the kitchen to find Carol, Kurt and Blaine sitting around the table planning something. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and joined them to see what was up. They ignored me and kept with their conversation, so it took a minute for me to realize that they were planning a surprise birthday party for Finn, complete with the New Directions guys, video games, pizza and cake. While Kurt is normally our official party planner, Blaine was the one to come up with the idea for this one. Even though the two boys wouldn't be there, they were going to invite all of Finn's friends over for a video game marathon. Carol knew of a bakery that made cakes that Finn loved, so we didn't have to worry about Kurt not being there to make the cake. The plan was to once again, relocate the TVs in the house all to the living room, so everyone could play at once. Puck was going to come over early to help move the furniture and bring an extra video game system.<p>

The next week, I was getting ready to drive Kurt and Blaine to the school so they could meet the other Cheerios for the bus to nationals. It was only a five hour drive, so they weren't flying. Once their bags were in my truck, Kurt and Blaine pulled me aside to hand me a couple of wrapped presents.

"These are Finn's birthday presents. You have to make sure he doesn't find them early. He's been pestering me all week to find out what we got him. He can't open them until the party. We thought maybe you could leave them in your truck, since I know he's going to search our rooms now that we're both out of the house." Kurt told me as he climbed into the cab of the truck.

"He'll be in for quite a surprise when he searches my room!" Blaine said as he got in and closed the door.

"Why is that, Blaine?" I asked him. He had the grace to turn red and mumble a "Never mind."

As I pulled up to the school and shut the car off I turned to the two boys who were about to get out of the truck.

"Hold it a minute, you two." I said as I hit the button to automatically lock the truck doors. "You both know I can't stand talking to Sue Sylvester. I do not want a phone call from her due to something one of you, or more likely both of you, did. Whatever you plan on doing, keep it in the privacy of your hotel room. I know you are the only two guys on the Cheerios competition team this time around, so you're the only two in the guys' room. Don't make anyone call the front desk of the hotel because you are disturbing the peace. Don't get caught doing anything inappropriate on the bus, in the pool, elevator or anywhere else. Got it?" I finished. They both nodded at me, not daring to argue about anything I said.

"Good. Well… good luck at your competition, I'm sure you'll both do great." I gave them each a hug after we got out of the truck; they grabbed their bags and went to meet the other Cheerios. I would miss them, but it would be nice to have a week off. Now I just needed to get Finn out of the house for some time this week.

Finn's birthday rolled around, which happened to be on St. Patrick's Day, and we were all ready for the surprise party. It was my job to keep Finn occupied while Puck came over to help Carol set up for the party. I had told Finn I needed help for a few minutes at the shop. I had apologized for doing so on his birthday, and offered to pay him overtime since it was his birthday. He thought that Carol would be at home making his birthday dinner for when we got home. Luckily, he hadn't caught on to the surprise party.

Once I finally ran out of things to have Finn help with at the shop, we finally headed back to the house. I was hoping all his friends were there already and smart enough to park around the block. We walked into a dark house, when suddenly the lights came on and everyone screamed "Surprise!" I recognized all the glee club guys, plus two warblers that Finn had become friends with through Kurt and Blaine. The party went well, everyone enjoyed the cake, and then it was time to open presents. Finn got a video game, drumsticks, and a few t-shirts from his friends. I handed him his birthday presents from Kurt and Blaine. He opened the first one that was from Kurt. It was addressed to "Finnegan Francis Hudson" and it was a green t-shirt that said "World's Tallest Leprechaun". Blaine's present contained a video game, a new controller and a pack of energy drinks, since whenever Finn got a new game, he stayed up all night playing it.

"Dude! Is your name really Finnegan?" Puck shouted across the room. Finn stammered for a moment, not sure what to say, since admitting it would mean his friends would start calling him that.

"Of course it is!" Carol said while laughing. "He was born on St. Patrick's Day, so he needed a good Irish name!" At this, all the boys started cracking up. Once cake was passed around, everyone returned to the living room for some more video games. As they left the kitchen, I heard Puck say "Come on Finnegan Francis!" I guess it would take a while for him to live that one down.

Around 8 o'clock that night, the door bell rang. I went to get it since the boys were so involved with their video game tournament. I opened the door to see Rachel standing there holding a cake with a big smile plastered on her face.

"Good Evening Mr. Hummel! I'm here to visit my boyfriend for his birthday. Is he home? I brought him a vegan, low fat cake!" She said very quickly without breathing, much like she usually did.

"So you and Finn are an item again?" I asked her, just to clear things up. Carol would be curious anyway.

"Of course. Finn and I were meant to be together, it just took a little while for him to realize that. I knew he'd find his way back to me." She said.

"Good to know. All the boys are in the living room go right on in."

"All the boys? I thought Kurt and Blaine were away at Nationals?" She said, trying to look around me to see into the house.

"They are. All the glee club guys are having a birthday party for Finn in there." I told her. As her face turned into a horrified expression I realized the major flaw in our plan. No one thought to invite Finn's girlfriend to his birthday party.

"Finn had a birthday party and didn't invite me? I can't believe he would do that to me." She said, this time near tears. By now Carol had joined me by the front door and heard the end of Rachel's tirade.

"Oh no, Rachel, this was a surprise party, Finn didn't know anything about it. It wasn't even really a party; it's just a bunch of guys playing video games. They do that most nights anyway." Carol told Rachel, hoping to calm her.

"I guess that's ok then. It's not a party without cake anyway. Good thing I brought one!" She said with another fake smile as she walked past us into the living room. We decided not to get involved, but I did hear one of the boys tell Rachel they already had cake. Carol and I quickly went up to our room to avoid the fight that was sure to ensue.

A few hours later I went downstairs to see who was still over and to find out when they were leaving or if they were spending the night. I made it downstairs to find Rachel snuggled next to Finn, and Puck and Mike arguing over who would get to eat the last piece of cake. (The good cake, not Rachel's vegan cake, which sat untouched on the table.) I walked past the two of them and grabbed the last piece while they were busy fighting over it.

"So how's everyone doing down here?" I asked them.

"Now that the cake is gone, I guess I'm outta here." Puck said. "Want a ride, Mike?" Mike agreed, told Finn "Happy Birthday" and thanked me for having him. Mike was definitely one of the nicer New Directions guys.

"Rachel, you should probably head home soon, it's getting late." She made a pouting face but got up and grabbed her stuff after giving Finn a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad you aren't mad at Finn about the party." I told her. She smiled, but it looked a little evil.

"Oh, I'm not mad at Finn. He didn't know about the party. I'm mad at Blaine, since he's the one that invited all the guys over." She said. Oh no, poor Blaine. She skipped out to her car as I closed the door. I went back to Finn and saw him poking at Rachel's cake, not quite willing to taste it. He looked up at me when I stood next to him to look at the cake.

"I'll try it if you try it…" Finn said without looking away from cake.

I wasn't sure if I was actually willing to try the vegan cake, but I guess if Finn could do it, so could I. I went into the kitchen, grabbed two forks, walked back to hand one to Finn.

"On the count of three… one… two… three" I said. We each took a bite and looked at each other. Honestly, it wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't anything compared to what I'm used to. But then again, I'm used to Kurt's cakes. We silently agreed to not finish Rachel's cake.

"You do realize you are going to have to call Blaine and warn him about Rachel. She doesn't seem like the type to let something like this go. He better watch his back."

"I guess you're right. Thanks for throwing me this party. I really had a great time." He said to me.

"No problem Finn. I'm glad you had a good time with your friends. We will go out again this weekend to celebrate once Kurt and Blaine are home. They really wanted to be here with you. Don't stay up too late." I said while patting him on the shoulder. "Good night kiddo."

"Good night Burt!" He said as I was walking up the stairs. Once I reached the top, I leaned over a little to hear Finn making a phone call.

"Hey Kurt, tell Blaine he's in deep shit with Rachel. Talk to you tomorrow!" Then he hung up. I guess I really would have to do everything myself.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: This chapter got a little long, so I had to split it. Sorry about the cliff hanger!

Happy St. Patrick's Day: this is my favorite holiday of the year!

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><p>The time finally rolled around to go pick up Kurt and Blaine at the school from their Cheerios competition. Carol decided to go with me; since she had missed them so much and apparently couldn't wait the extra ten minutes it would take for me to drive them home. We pulled into the parking lot to see a group of girls running around the bus screaming, but no Kurt or Blaine in sight. We got out of the truck to walk over and look for them and were greeted by Coach Sylvester, who did not look happy.<p>

"We won first place, mostly because of your boys. But during room checks I walked in on something I can never again un-see. I have been scarred for life. Even a 7th national championship couldn't erase the horrors that I walked in on." Sue said to us with a solemn expression on her face. You'd think she would be happy about winning nationals.

"I'm very sorry about that Coach Sylvester. We'll be sure to talk with the boys. Where are they?" Carol asked her.

"I had to forcibly separate them on the way home. They were sharing a single bus seat. I don't know what goes on in that house of yours, but those boys act like they are auditioning for a porno. I used to think it was just people who dressed like librarians, but now I know it's also anyone with a bowtie addiction that is secretly a sex addict. There was almost a sex riot at the hotel pool because of them. I had to make Curls wear a shirt in the water, because all the girls were going crazy. They didn't even care that he was obviously sucking face with Sweet Porcelain." She said. Clearly the boys got up to their usual antics.

"I get it. They need to behave in public. I've been try to tell them that for a while. Where are they?" I asked her. I was really getting sick of hearing about what they got up to. I know first hand how bad it could be, I didn't need anyone to tell me.

"Curls is still on the bus. Porcelain is sitting behind my LeCar. You can take them home now, I'm sick of looking at their faces." I looked at Carol and looked over to Sue's car. She got the message and walked over to get Kurt while I went to the bus to find Blaine. I found Blaine sitting in the back row of the bus. I went and sat next to him. He didn't say anything, just continued to sit and stare at out the window.

"So Curls, I hear congratulations are in order. National Champions is pretty impressive." I said to him.

"I've never been so humiliated in my life. And I've performed in theme parks." He said, near tears.

"Oh, it didn't sound that bad. You've done some pretty embarrassing things. Trust me…" I told him, trying my best to console him. I was used to having to calm Kurt down, but Blaine could usually self regulate when he got upset.

"No, this was mortifying. It was just one thing after another, it wasn't just one incidence. It started with Coach Sylvester walking in to our room without knocking, and ended with her literally picking me up and throwing me into the back row of seats. She let Kurt walk up to the front of the bus. And Santana spent the entire trip making fun of me." He said.

I guess it sounded bad, but no worse that what's happened to him in the past.

"I'm sure you're just blowing it out of proportion. Let's get home; you can hide in your room for the rest of the day. But you need to stop sulking by tonight; we're going out to dinner for Finn's birthday." I grabbed his bag for him and started to get off the bus. He was still sitting there, so I yelled back. "If you don't get off the bus right now, you're going to have to walk home." He finally joined me at the front of the bus and slowly walked down the steps. As soon as he stepped off the bus, the cat calls started from the girls. Blaine ran for the truck, but by the time I walked over, I heard enough of the comments to realize that at some point this weekend, all the Cheerios saw much more of Blaine than he wanted them to see. Carol and Kurt were already in the truck when I got in. They were both laughing, but at least they were trying to keep it quiet. Blaine's head was buried in his arms. We pulled out of the school parking lot and headed home.

"So what actually happened?" I finally asked to break up the awkward silence.

"I really don't want to talk about it. It was just awful." Blaine said, but it was a bit muffled since his head was still buried.

"All the Cheerios were having a pool party since our hotel had an indoor pool. We were swimming and started kissing a little while we were in the deep end. All the girls started yelling about Blaine having a six pack, so Coach Sylvester said she wasn't going to have yet another sex riot, so she grabbed Blaine and pulled him out of the water. She said he had to put a shirt on, but she didn't realize we had been making out for a while. Wet swimsuits do a very poor job of hid any problems that… arise. So Blaine's swimsuit left very little to the imagination, and all the girls saw. Santana proceeded to comment and proposition him the rest of the week. I don't know who it was, but someone must have had a cell phone out, because there's a picture floating around too. It was pretty embarrassing for me too…" Kurt finished.

"You! Embarrassed? Everyone didn't see your penis!" Blaine shouted.

"Yeah, because Sue told me to stay in the pool because she didn't need any more proof that I had a vagina!" Kurt shouted back.

"Ok, let's just agree you both had a terrible week." Carol said, trying to calm everyone down.

"Actually, the week wasn't that bad. We won, that's something." Kurt added, trying to smile at Blaine. By the time we pulled into the driveway they were holding hands. As we walked into the house, Finn came downstairs to greet us. Rather than say hello, he greeted the two boys with a strange question.

"Why did Rachel just text me a picture of Blaine's junk?" Finn asked with a dumb expression on his face. Blaine dropped Kurt's hand and ran up to his room.

"Where did Rachel get that picture from?" Kurt asked him.

"She said Santana sent it to her, so she sent it to the whole glee club, since she needed a way to get back at Blaine." Finn explained.

"Oh my god!" We heard Blaine scream from inside his room. He opened the door with enough force to dent the wall that the door hit and ran down the stairs, grabbed his keys and tried to run out to his car. I grabbed him before he could make it outside.

"Let me go! I need to go murder Rachel Berry!" He said while trying to wiggle out of my grip.

"Why don't we all calm down for a little bit. I'm sure you're just blowing this all out of proportion." Carol said while locking the door so he couldn't escape as quickly when I let go.

"She's posting the picture all over facebook. Right now, everyone in New Directions has it as their profile picture. She did this. Now I have to kill her! Please? I promise I won't get caught or arrested. I'll do it discreetly and sneak out. I'm small; I can climb out the window and hide in the bushes! Please?" He practically begged.

"No, we are not giving you permission to murder anyone, no matter what they did, or how wrong it was. Everyone get ready, we're going out to dinner for Finn's birthday. When we get back, Blaine is going to learn how to repair a wall, since he's responsible for fixing that hole he just made from his door. Now Blaine, give me your keys." I said while holding my hand out. He reluctantly handed the keys over, although I know he was already scheming other ways to kill Rachel. I'll have to remember to hide Kurt's keys too, so he couldn't borrow them.

We had a nice dinner out at one of those chain restaurants that have obnoxious waitresses who wear too many buttons. They sang to Finn when they brought out dessert. All in all, it was a calm, relaxing night. This was mainly due to the fact that Rachel wasn't invited. Originally, we planned on having her join us, but when decided not to mention it to her when we realized that Blaine would most likely poison her food.

The next Monday, the boys had to wear their Cheerio uniforms to school. Part of their deal with Sue was that they wouldn't have to wear them outside of competitions, but since they were national champions, the whole squad had to wear the uniforms and the gold medals they had won. At first they were really against the idea, but finally decided that after winning, they should be safe for the day. They were wrong.

I was home early from the shop, so I was already sitting on the couch when they walked in. Blaine's cheerios uniform, face and hair were covered in various colors of slushies. He went straight up to the bathroom and slammed the door. Kurt followed him inside and put his bag down before sitting next to me on the couch. He had splashes of color on his uniform too, but it was obvious he wasn't hit with one. It must just have been what splashed off of Blaine.

"There's a good side to all of this." He said. "Coach Sylvester completely snapped and started yelling and screaming about her Cheerios deserving respect. She grabbed a baseball bat and smashed the slushie machine. She then made an announcement that there would be no more slushies in the school, and anyone caught with one would have to deal with her. I guess all it took to stop the slushies was a Cheerio uniform getting stained. We did pretty well for most of the day. After school got out, we were standing at our lockers getting ready to go home and a couple of jocks came up to us and made some comment about Blaine trying to steal their girlfriends. Apparently that picture from the pool made its way around the school and all the girls are obsessed with it. I mean, why wouldn't they be. He's got amazing abs." I cleared my throat a little to remind him to stay on topic instead of day dreaming. He finally continued. "After they slushied him, one of the guys decided it would be funny to shove us into the lockers too."

"Wow… at least there aren't going to be any more slushies." I told him. "Why don't you go check on Blaine and see how he's doing. I'll get dinner started. I know it's his night to cook, which means you'll cook, but I'll take care of it."

"Thanks Dad, but what are you going to cook?" He asked me. The answer to that was easy.

"My specialty: I'll order us some Chinese food. Carol's working late and Finn is out with Rachel, so it's just the three of us tonight."

Kurt smiled and walked upstairs.

An hour later we were sitting on the couch eating Chinese food while watching one of the Harry Potter movies. Once the slushie dye was cleaned off his face, I could see that Blaine had a black eye. I would be calling the school first thing in the morning to find out why nothing was done about someone hitting him. After Blaine's terrible week, we decided that he could pick the movie. Carol usually didn't let us eat in front of the TV, but since she was working late, we figured what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Once the movie was over, we started the next one, since apparently it was one book that was broken into two movies. I had no idea what was actually going on, since I didn't really pay that much attention to the first one. By the time the movie was over, Kurt was sound asleep. Blaine had his arms wrapped around Kurt and was staring into space.

"Hey Blaine, you ok?"

"Yeah… I was just thinking. I've had a really rough few days. First I had to deal with Sue, and now everyone at school spent the day harassing me. It just reminded me of the last time things got this bad. In my old school before Dalton, when I got beat up after the dance, it was bad. I told you that I moved to Dalton because of that. Actually, my dad made me go back to school once I got out of the hospital. It was terrible. I only made it three days before doing something about it. I had considered it before, it wouldn't be that difficult. I was home alone all the time anyway. I was moved to Dalton after I tried to kill myself. I just couldn't take the shit anymore." He said. I could see he was crying while telling me this.

"Blaine, if you ever think about something like that, I want you to talk to me or Carol. Please don't do anything that can't be reversed." I said to him. I wanted to yell it, but I also didn't want him to be scared or think that I was going to be one more person telling him he was wrong.

"Oh no. I would never do anything like that now. I was just thinking about how if I had Kurt back then, none of that would have happened. I would never give up the chance to spend my life with Kurt. It's so much easier to handle the shit they throw at you when you have a family supporting you. I don't know what I would do without Kurt. Or you and Carol. Or even Finn. I've had a terrible week, and maybe a few years ago it would have gotten to me. But I'm ok now." He finished. I knew he was telling the truth.

"Does Kurt know about this?" I asked him.

"Of course. I tell Kurt everything. I know everything about him too…" Blaine said, referring to Kurt's own rough patch back in freshman year. Before he had glee club, Kurt didn't have a place at school. He was being bullied and beat up on a daily basis. I caught him writing a suicide note. I brought him to the hospital for suicide watch before he could actually try anything. That glee club really did save his life. And through it he found Blaine, whose life was also saved. I guess glee club was a really good thing.

"Why don't you get Kurt upstairs to bed? If you really want to, I guess it wouldn't be terrible for you to miss one day of school." I offered.

"No, I need to go tomorrow and face everyone. As soon as something else happens, everyone will forget about bothering me. It'll be ok." He said as he woke Kurt up and they started up the stairs. I saw them go into the same bedroom, but I let them go. Sometimes they really needed each other.

The next morning, Carol walked in just as the boys were getting ready to leave for school.

"What happened to your face?" She shouted, pulling Blaine into a hug. I'll admit his eye looked pretty bad, much worse than it did last night. I probably should have made him put some ice on it.

"Just some bullies. And a half dozen slushies. I should have expected it. What was I thinking wearing a Cheerios outfit around school all day? Especially after my week being tortured by the other Cheerios and Sue." Blaine explained.

"You don't have to go to school today if you don't want to Blaine." She turned to me then. "Why are you making him go to school?" She demanded. I held my hands up in front of me and tried to tell her I suggested the day off, but Blaine beat me to it.

"I want to go. Don't worry. I'll be fine. Besides, with this shiner, no one is going to want to hit me. If they get caught, they'd get blamed for this too." He said, suspiciously calm.

We should have just made him stay home. It would have saved us a whole lot of trouble.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I think you'll be satisfied with the result. Enjoy and please review if you have time. Thanks :)

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><p>Carol called me at work, even though I knew she didn't have a break for a while yet.<p>

"I just got a call from the school to go pick up one of the kids, but I can't get out of work until after 4. Would you be able to get them?" She asked me. I had a lot of work to do too, but at least no one would die if I left.

"I guess so… Which one is it this time?" I asked.

"I don't actually know. The principal left a message at the hospital just saying I had to pick up my son, since he was in trouble. I'm guessing Finn, since they usually call you, but I don't know for sure." She said. I sighed explained to the other guys working that there was a problem at the school and I needed to go pick up one of the boys, but hopefully I would be back soon. Once I arrived at the school, I went into the main office to speak to the principal. I was surprised to see someone short with curly hair sitting in front of his desk. I knocked on the door to his office and walked in.

"Ah, Mr. Hummel. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I was expecting your wife today." Principal Figgins said.

"Yeah, she can't get out of work at the hospital. I can't stay that long either. Care to tell me what is so important that I had to leave work and come down here in the middle of the day?" I asked him.

"Mr. Anderson here is suspended from an entire week. It is unacceptable to bring pornography into a high school and hand it out to the other students." He said calmly, but I stopped listening after the word 'pornography'.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Blaine?" I shouted at him. "Who in their right mind brings porn to school?"

"It wasn't like that. I just had to get back at Rachel. She sent the entire school a picture of my junk, just because she wasn't invited to a video game night. I only thought it was fair to make photocopies of a picture of Rachel and hand them out to the school." He said, as though it was the most obvious solution ever. Figgins handed me a hot pick flyer that had a Xeroxed picture of a topless Rachel, although someone (probably Figgins) had drawn a black sensor bar with a sharpie marker.

"Where did you even get this picture? I'd almost expect you to have a picture like this of Kurt, by why Rachel?" I asked him. Hopefully Figgins didn't notice the Kurt comment.

"I found it in Finn's room. She had given it to him for Valentines Day." He explained to me.

"What were you doing snooping in Finn's room?" I asked again.

"Finn always borrows my stuff and never returns anything, so while he was out, I decided to go in his room and reclaim everything that was mine. I just happened to stumble upon that picture and realized it would be fair payback for Rachel sending everyone that picture of me." He rationalized. I guess he had a point, but it was still a bad thing to do.

"Well, since this was just retaliation for Rachel doing the same thing to him, why isn't Rachel being suspended too?" I asked Figgins. After a few minutes, he finally agreed that if a couple of kids can confirm that Rachel was the one who started circulating the Blaine picture, she would be suspended too. Blaine was allowed to go round up a couple of kids (excluding Kurt and Finn since they were a conflict of interest). Tina, Mike, Artie and Lauren all confirmed that Rachel had sent them the picture of Blaine, so the Berry's were called while Rachel was called down to the office. She and Blaine didn't exchange a word; they only glared at one another. After signing a few papers, I was allowed to take Blaine home, where he had to stay for a week. On our way out to my truck, we passed the Berry's walking into the school. They said hello, but didn't yell at Blaine, which means they didn't know why they were called to the school yet. As soon as we were out of their earshot, I whispered to Blaine.

"Get in the car and let's get the hell out of here before they find out what you did."

We quickly got in my truck and sped off. I drove straight to the garage. He looked a little confused, but knew not to complain. The last time he was suspended he was put to work in the shop, so this shouldn't come as a surprise.

"Since you're in trouble, not on vacation, you'll get up each morning and go to work. You'll either be here with me in the garage, or you will go with Carol and work as a hospital volunteer. You're choice. But you aren't sitting at home watching video games either way." I told him.

"I understand. If you don't mind, I'd rather work here. Hospitals make me kind of squeamish. What should I do first?" He asked.

"Um, I guess you can tidy up the shop to begin with. There's a broom and a dustpan in the corner." I said. He got right to work, although I could clearly hear him humming the Cinderella song. I recognized from Kurt having sung it every time he had to clean when he was little. Just as he was finishing up, about a half hour later, I heard the bell by the front door ring, meaning someone just came into the shop. I figured Blaine could handle it, but as soon as I heard shrieking, I rolled out from under the car I was working. I looked to the office to see Rachel and her dads standing my shop, and Rachel was yelling at Blaine. In his defense, he was taking it like a man. Until she pulled his hair, that is.

Once Rachel started pulling Blaine's hair, he lost all sense of decorum. I knew from the last time that Santana did something to Blaine's hair, but I was still surprised at how loudly he shrieked. Hiram grabbed Rachel around the middle and I grabbed Blaine to try and pull them apart. They had finally calmed down a bit and were sitting in chairs on opposite sides of the office.

"Blaine, what would make you spread those photoshopped pictures of Rachel?" Hiram asked calmly.

"After Rachel sent everyone in the school a picture of my junk, I thought it only fair to return to the favor. But I didn't photoshop it. I found that picture." Blaine said clearly confused. I could see Rachel trying to silently get Blaine's attention, but he didn't notice her. "I found it in Finn's room. He borrowed my headphones and never returned them, so I decided to go get them myself. I was also looking to see if he had any condoms. He always borrows them, but never replaces them. I was looking to see if he bought any so I could take some back." Blaine said to Hiram. Apparently it didn't occur to him that he was speaking to Rachel's fathers. And he basically just told them that Finn had naked pictures of her and he also used a lot of condoms. Without noticing their discomfort at the conversation, he continued, once again proving he had no filter between his brain and mouth. "He borrows condoms all the time. And Kurt and I have to go buy them, which is always really embarrassing, but only because Kurt makes it that way. He turns bright red and always somehow attracts extra attention. It's like he turns into Finn and get clumsy, knocking things over. And we always have to buy other random stuff so it doesn't look like we're just buying condoms. Personally, I think it looks stranger to also buy a bunch of candy and those cheap toys they sell. It's like we're trying to lure kids into a van with no windows." Blaine said. He has trouble not talking when he's nervous.

After a whispered conversation, most of which I couldn't make out, they said they would discuss everything when they got home. They made Rachel apologize for what she did to Blaine, who reluctantly accepted the apology and, after I kicked the back of his chair, he apologized to Rachel.

Around 3 o'clock the phone in the office rang. It was Kurt, who had spent his day frantically searching for Blaine.

"I've looked everywhere in the school and I can't find him. He hasn't answered any of my calls or texts. I think something bad may have happened to him. He drove today, and the car's still here." Kurt said without taking a breath.

"Calm down Kurt. Blaine is fine. He's here with me." I said.

"Why's Blaine with you?" he asked, sounding shocked.

"He got caught for handing out naked pictures of Rachel and was suspended. I had to pick him up around noon. He didn't answer your texts or calls because I took his phone and turned it off. He's supposed to be grounded. I figured no more cell phone was a good way to start."

"If Blaine is with you, how do we get home? He drove this morning." Kurt asked. I turned to ask Blaine about it.

"Blaine! Where did you leave the keys so Kurt and Finn can get home?"

He turned red as he pulled the keys from his pocket.

"We'll be there soon." I told Kurt over the phone.

Over dinner that night, we filled Carol in on everything that had happened. Once everyone was finished, Carol and I asked to speak to Blaine alone. We discussed his punishment for getting suspended. We decided upon no cell phone, no video games and he had to work in the garage most of the days he was out of school. Carol bargained for him to have one day home. At first he was relieved to have a day off. Then he found out why she wanted him home. He had to clean the house and go grocery shopping with her on her day off. He wasn't too happy, but agreed. All I had to do now was think of enough work to keep Blaine busy for the week.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I know this one is short, but I'll have the next chapter up this week. Enjoy

Most of the week went by easily. Blaine came to work with me each morning, cleaning the entire shop and redoing the inventory. I started to teach him a little about fixing cars, but he really didn't take to it the way Kurt had. He could fix something if I told him step by step what to do, or if he saw a diagram of it in a book. But he couldn't repeat what he just did without the instructions again. He just didn't have that inherent ability with cars.

Carol was off from work on Friday, so Blaine stayed home with her to help do things around the house. When I got home from work, Carol's car wasn't there, and Blaine wasn't home either. I guess they were still food shopping. The house looked noticeably cleaner than when I left in the morning, so I guess Blaine actually did some work today. I expected Carol to go easy on him.

An hour later, I heard Carol's car pull up outside, so I went out to help bring in the groceries. Grocery shopping for our family was a massive undertaking. Five people in one house aren't that unmanageable, but three of them are teenage boys. Kurt doesn't eat like a teenage boy, but Blaine and Finn make up for it. Blaine sulked into the house carrying a bunch of bags that he brought right to the table. He started to unpack them slowly as I brought the rest of the bags in for Carol. Before we went into the kitchen, I stopped her. Before I could say anything, she beat me to it. "I'll tell you all about the day later." She said, and then walked into the kitchen to help put the groceries away. Once that was finished, she started to make dinner. Blaine went up to his room, taking the stairs slowly, clearly exhausted. As I heard his door click shut, I walked into the kitchen to talk to Carol.

"Spill. What happened? I don't remember him ever being that quiet!" I said to her. She just laughed a little and continued preparing dinner. Finally she started to tell me about their day.

"We had a nice day. Blaine just got a taste of what it's like to have to take care of a house and a family. First we started with cleaning the house. That wasn't too bad, he thought it was too much work, but really, it was really only half the work with two people. We did everything but Finn's room. No crime is bad enough to subject someone to that kind of punishment. Then we did the laundry, dishes and other miscellaneous house work. Then we went grocery shopping. He kept trying to sneak junk food into the cart. What person needs ten boxes of pop tarts? I finally let him get a few things, but he has to leave them in the kitchen, not hoard them in his room. Did you know he hoarded junk food under his bed? I found a stash when I was collecting laundry last week. I seriously don't know how he stays so skinny. I asked him about it and he said he wasn't hiding it from us; he was hiding it from Finn and Kurt. If Finn knew about it, he would eat it himself. If Kurt knew about it, he would yell at Blaine about eating unhealthy food." Carol said with a laugh, before continuing. "After a day of hard labor acting as a house wife, Blaine finally said that there was no way he was going to be a stay at home dad, which apparently, Kurt and Blaine have already discussed. They have their whole future planned out. They are going to stay in New York after college, Kurt will star on Broadway and Blaine will stay at home with the kids! Once they grow up, he'll return to being a lawyer. I'm going to be a grandmother!" She finished excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Carol, calm down. Yes, you'll get to be a grandmother, but not anytime soon. If Finn and Rachel were talking about kids, I'd be very worried. But Kurt and Blaine talking about it doesn't mean anything is going to happen anytime soon. They may be trying very hard, but they can't actually get pregnant. It's going to be a long process for them. Don't get so excited over the prospect of grandchildren. That won't happen for a while. Please, stop bouncing around. And you better not start knitting baby things!" I shouted after her as she went back to working on dinner. I decided I should go check on Blaine now that I know he wasn't mad, just exhausted. Apparently Finn and Kurt had gotten home from glee club while I was talking to Carol. Unfortunately I didn't know this as I walked right into Blaine's room without knocking. There was a scream, I turned quickly to leave, ran right into the door frame and then everything went black.

"Oh my god! We killed him!" I heard Kurt whisper as I started to come to. "Did he have another heart attack?" Blaine asked. I was getting worried. Did I have a heart attack? It didn't feel like it did last time. Then I knew everything was ok, because I heard Carol's voice. "No, I think he just got knocked out. What happened?"

"He walked in on us without knocking." Kurt said nervously. "Then we all screamed, he turned to run out the door and ran into the wall instead. Then he went down like a pile of bricks." Oh, that was a relief. At least it wasn't a heart attack. That wasn't very pleasant. I finally opened my eyes and spoke so they would know I was ok.

"I thought you were supposed to be grounded? This isn't prison, you don't get conjugal visits!" I said, trying not to laugh. I laughed a little and realized that hurt my nose.

"Burt, try not to laugh, I think your nose is broken." Carol said through some giggles.

Later on that night I was laying on the couch watching TV and being waited on hand and foot by Kurt and Blaine. Really, I was OK, but why not milk it a little and take advantage of the situation.


	26. Chapter 26

When May rolled around, the boys were once again headed to New York for Nationals. Thankfully, the glee club had done well and was moving on. I'm sure all the kids would have been upset to not make it, but I know my boys would have been devastated to miss out on going for their senior year. Kurt had, of course, packed everything two weeks in advance. Finn's standard packing procedure consisted of throwing everything into a duffel bag an hour before he had to leave the house, but we were trying to convince him to pack a little earlier than that. Blaine also procrastinated a bit. This was how we ended up frantically searching for another suitcase the night before they were to leave for Nationals. We didn't realize that Blaine didn't have a suitcase. He didn't bring one with him, and the only time we went away was camping, and he only needed a backpack. Rather than go out and buy one, we were finally able to convince Kurt to give up one of his four. Really, no one needed four suitcases, especially since they weren't going for that long. Honestly, I think the only reason Kurt gave up one of his bags was because it was for Blaine. Never mind that fact that he was only allowed one checked bag and one carry-on on the plane.

Later that night, I heard Kurt yell, then stomp down the stairs.

"I can't believe this! Mr. Schue just sent out the room assignments for New York. And he put me in with the girls again!" He half yelled. Finn didn't even acknowledge Kurt and kept playing his video game. Blaine tried to look sympathetic without taking his eyes off the screen, or else he would lose to Finn.

"Weren't you with the girls last year too?" I ask him. I didn't see what the big deal was.

"That was different. This time I have Blaine. Either we should both be in with the guys, or all the gay boys should have to be in with the girls. It's not fair. I'm not a girl!" Kurt finished his impassioned speech and stomped back upstairs to send a strongly worded email. I knew he wouldn't change anything. Schuester was separating them for the same reason the boys and the girls had separate rooms. But I chose not to mention this. I figured I would let Kurt fight (and most likely lose) his own battle.

After Finn won whatever shooting game they were playing, Blaine nudged his shoulder and gave him a look. Finn immediately knew what Blaine meant and stood up awkwardly, announcing to the room that he was going to go see if Kurt could help him pack. That was a bit odd, but most things Finn did were odd, so I let it go. Blaine got up off the floor and sat next to me on the couch. After a few minutes of Blaine wringing his hands and biting his lip, I knew he had something he wanted to talk to me about.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?" I asked him, attempting to break the silence.

"Oh, um… yeah. It's about New York. I… um… I know we're still in high school, but we'll be moving to New York together in the fall, so I wanted to ask your permission to ask Kurt to marry me." Blaine said, all very quickly without breathing. I probably should have been surprised, but I really wasn't. I knew they were going to get married. I also knew it would probably be early, most likely before they finished college. They already acted like an old married couple. I now had to decide whether to draw this out and make it painful, or relenting and agreeing to save him from the torment. He was visibly nervous, so I decided if he was brave enough to ask me, I could agree.

"Alright, I guess that would be OK. When were you thinking?" I asked him.

"Wait. Really? Did you just say yes?" He said, astonished. I just nodded my head before he went on to answer my question. "We get one free day in New York, so I was thinking of taking Kurt to see Wicked then out to a fancy dinner. I'd probably ask him then."

"Good plan. I think he'd really like that. Now why don't you go pack?" I told him. He took the stairs two at a time as he ran up to his room with a huge grin on his face. I was able to go back to reading my magazine in peace for a while, but it didn't last long. Peace and quiet never lasted long in my house. I heard a loud crashing over and over again. I immediately got up to see what was wrong. It sounded like someone was falling down the stairs. I got there just in time to see that Finn had decided that rather than carry his bag downstairs, he should toss it from the second floor. I looked up just in time to see Blaine starting to swing his, but as soon as he saw me he stopped.

"You better not throw that bag Blaine!" I yelled up there.

"I wouldn't dream of it!" He replied before skipping down the stairs and daintily placing his bag by the front door. I looked up to see Finn bent over with laughter and Kurt holding in some giggles.

Carol made dinner and we enjoyed being together since the boys were all leaving the next morning for New York. After dinner we put in a movie. I wasn't really that interested in the movie, so after a little while, I decided to go out to the garage to start organizing my tools. A few minutes later I was joined by Kurt. I kept working on organizing, figuring he would eventually say we he came to talk about.

"Hey Dad? Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked tentatively.

"Of course. What's on your mind?" I asked him. He was a little nervous, based on how he was chewing on his lip (huh- just like Blaine did), and playing with the button on the bottom of his shirt. Kurt was usually pretty confidant, so it must be something big for him to be this nervous. After a minute he took a deep breath, stood up straight, looked me right in the eye and said:

"I want to ask Blaine to marry me." I think my mouth may have actually fallen open, but I can't be sure. After about a minute, Kurt waved his hand in front of my face to get my attention.

"Dad? Did you hear me? I said…"

"I heard you Kurt." I said, interrupting him. "Of course you can. I knew you two would end up getting married soon anyway. But if you don't mind my asking, when were you planning on asking?"

"Well, since we're going to end up living in New York, I thought it'd be nice to propose there. We have a free night, so I figured I would take Blaine to a play and a nice dinner." He told me. I had a lot of trouble keeping my laughter in. But I couldn't tell him why.

"That sounds great Kurt. Good Luck with that…" I said.

"Why do I need good luck? Do you think he'll say no?" He asked quickly, getting a little nervous. I tried to calm him down before he could get worked up.

"Of course he'll say yes. Don't worry about that. Why don't you go back to the movie before anyone notices you're gone?" I told him. He hugged me after saying thanks and walked back to the living room. I couldn't wait to tell Carol what happened today. It was certainly very exciting. I just wish I could be there to see the hilarity that was sure to ensue.

The next morning we all piled into Kurt's navigator, since it could fit all five of us and the luggage, and headed to the airport. A lot of the other kids were carpooling there, but we basically were our own carpool. Once we got to the airport and unloaded the luggage, we all said our goodbyes. Carol gave each boy a big hug and a kiss on the cheek with tears in her eyes. I gave each boy a hug and told them good luck. Carol also said good luck while crying. She was so happy about Kurt and Blaine, but she really needed to keep her emotions in check if she didn't want to ruin the surprise. I quickly ushered her back to the truck, as we waved goodbye to the boys. We were both very excited to see what would happen with Kurt and Blaine. We weren't even interested in the glee club at this point. Now we just had to play the waiting game. We had considered driving out to New York. We'd be able to see the glee club perform, plus we could be there to see how excited Kurt and Blaine were. But between both of our works, we just couldn't manage that many days off in a row without planning a few days in advance. I guess we would just have to wait until they made it back to hear what happened.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry, but you'll have to wait to hear what happens too!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:I won't say anything of importance, since most of you are so anxious to hear what happened that you won't see this anyway **

**Enjoy :)**

I tried texting Kurt a few times throughout the trip, but every time he responded with just a one or two word answer to say that everything was fine. Blaine's responses were generally a little longer, but basically said the same thing. No details were given, and neither of them mentioned a proposal or a ring. They were keeping us in suspense until they would return. The competition was Friday night, so they had Saturday to themselves. Saturday night I tried calling the boys. Not one of the three of them answered their phones. I wasn't that worried until I tried Finn and he didn't answer. I figured Kurt and Blaine would probably be out late celebrating. But Finn certainly wouldn't be with them.

An hour later, the phone finally rang. I picked it up after the first ring. I may have been anxiously awaiting a call.

"Hello, is this Burt?" I heard a voice ask. It wasn't one of my boys, but it wasn't the cops or the hospital either, because they would have used the last name. That was a bit of a relief. I know New York is better than Ohio, but there are still homophobes out there, and it did occur to me that Kurt and Blaine could encounter a problem. I grunted a yes, waiting to hear something about my boys.

"Hi Burt, its Will Schuester, from the McKinley glee club. I just wanted to let you know what was going on. I shouldn't have let the kids go off on their own. I'm really sorry. I didn't realize Kurt and Blaine would go and do that."

"Let me cut you off there. I already know. It's ok with us." I said, since he sounded really nervous having to call me. It wasn't that big of a deal, they were just getting engaged. It wasn't like they ran off and got married.

"You know? And you're ok with it? Well, congratulations I guess!" Schuester said. "But there's another small problem. I can't seem to locate Kurt or Blaine at the moment. Curfew was a little while ago and they aren't answering their phones. Finn and Mercedes told me that they were both ok, but that they weren't coming back to the room tonight. My best guess is that they got their own hotel room, but I have no idea where and none of the kids are talking." He finished, clearly a little nervous about having to tell me he lost my kids.

"Can you put Finn on the phone? He wasn't answering when I called him." I asked. This was probably my only chance to talk to one of them before they returned home. After a few minutes of hearing muffled talking in the background, I finally heard Finn on the phone.

"Hey Burt" Finn said.

"Finn, do you know where Kurt and Blaine are?" I asked him flat out.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop them. There was nothing I could say to change their minds." He said very quickly. Obviously a little nervous about telling me.

"That's ok Finn, I know about it. But do you know where they are now?" I asked him.

"They got their own hotel room to celebrate. They're at a different hotel nearby, but I don't know which one. They told me they'd meet us in the lobby to get the car to the airport. They're safe; Kurt let me know after they checked-in." He said.

"I guess that's ok." I said after a sigh. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then when I pick you up at the airport. Oh, how'd the competition go?"

"It was great. We got third place! In the country! And I didn't do anything stupid!" Finn said excited.

"That's great. Congratulations! We'll all go out to celebrate when you get home. See you tomorrow." I said before handing the phone off to Carol for her to say goodnight to Finn.

The next day we were waiting at the airport to pick the boys up. Their flight was delayed, so we had another half hour to wait. It wasn't worth driving home, so we decided to stop in the coffee shop at the airport and wait. I went up to get our drinks while Carol grabbed a table. Once I brought them over and sat down, Carol smiled, but looked a little sad.

"Can you believe last year at this time Blaine had just come to live with us?" She asked.

I was surprised that that didn't occur to me. By now it felt like Blaine was always a part of our family.

"Wow. I didn't think of it that way. Can you believe it's only been a year?"

"I know. It does feel like much longer. And now they're engaged!" She said, excited again. "I can't wait to help Kurt plan that wedding. He is quite the party planner. I can't imagine anything but an extravagant affair." She said with a smile. We talked for a little while longer about little things that really weren't that important. When we finally saw the board light up announcing that their plan had arrived we went over to the exit and saw a few other parents from the glee club. We waved hello and they all waved back, some with a sympathetic look on their faces. I'm guessing they heard about the engagement and thought we wouldn't be happy. A few of the girls came through the exit first. After hugging her parents, Mercedes came up to us. She gave us both a hug and then starting talking somewhat quickly.

"I just want to let you know that I tried to talk them out of it. They wouldn't listen to me, they were so insistent. I'm sorry I couldn't stop…" She got out before I could quickly stop her.

"Don't worry about it Mercedes. I know all about it. And I know there is no stopping them once the set their mind on something. But thanks for letting me know."

"No problem Mr. H. Congratulations!" She said before walking back to her parents.

Finn came out next, but there was still no sign of Kurt or Blaine. Finn ran over to us and gave us each a big hug.

"I'm really sorry I couldn't stop them. I tried. I even picked up Blaine and carried him outside. But they wouldn't listen to me. They still went off and got married." He said, clearly a little afraid that I was going to be mad.

"No Finn sweetie, they got engaged, not married." Carol said to him while patting his arm.

"I'm pretty sure that they got married." He said, sounding confused, as usual. "At least that's what I thought was happening when Mercedes and I had to sign a certificate at the court house."

All of a sudden the world was spinning very quickly and I had to grab onto Finn and Carol to keep from falling over. They led me over to a chair so I could sit down. I know I'm not a tiny guy, so it wouldn't be easy for Carol to hold me up, and honestly, my legs had stopped working. Could they have really gotten married without telling us? A few minutes later Kurt and Blaine came out, holding hands, with huge smiles on their faces. Their smiles fell a little when they saw us. When they got to where we were sitting, they just sort of stood there, waiting for someone to say something. Finally Carol stood up and pulled them both into a hug.

"Why don't we all go home so we can talk everything over?" Carol said in a cheery voice. We grabbed everyone's bags and went out to the car. The car ride home was very quiet. Once we arrived at the house, we went inside, everyone knowing that an important talk like this would have to be around the kitchen table, where most of our family meetings were held. All three boys sat staring at the table top. I didn't know what to say, so finally Carol got us started.

"So… married? Huh?" She said. Kurt and Blaine just sort of nodded their heads slowly.

"Sorry we didn't tell you. It was sort of a spur of the moment kind of thing." Blaine said slowly without making eye contact with anyone.

"Let's start at the beginning. What happened?" I asked.

"Well, the first few days of the trip were good, we made it to the top ten in the competition, then ended up placing third in the entire country. It was very exciting. That was all on Friday night. We had all day Saturday to ourselves, so we both had suggested a play and dinner. We saw an early showing of Wicked, which was amazing by the way, then went for a walk through Central Park. I guess we both had the same thing in mind and were both really nervous. I wasn't looking at Blaine when I got down on one knee and I saw he was doing the exact same thing!" Kurt said. "We couldn't believe we were proposing at the same time. I always knew we were meant to be together forever, but right then I knew I wanted forever to start right away. Besides, we were in New York City, one of the few places gay marriage was legal. It seemed like the perfect opportunity. So we called Finn and Mercedes and told them to meet us in Central Park, but we didn't tell them why, or they would tell Mr. Schue and he would ruin everything." Kurt finished, looking to Blaine with a smile, so he could tell the next part.

"Once Finn and Mercedes were there, we had our Best Man and Maid of Honor, so we headed over to the court house and filled out the paper work. They both tried to talk us out of it. Finn even trued to carry me outside, but a security guard stopped him. When we got back inside, Mercedes was basically wrestling with Kurt, trying to pin him down to a bench in the hallway. We finally told them we were doing this with or without them, and it would mean more to us if they were a part of it. They finally agreed, but reluctantly. After the ceremony, we went out to a fancy dinner and then decided to get our own hotel room for the night, since we were still supposed to be in separate rooms with the glee club. And then we came home… That's about it…" Blaine finished.

I wasn't quite sure how to react. I was angry that they would get married without having us there, or even telling us, but I was also very happy for them. They were meant to be together, and I could see that very clearly right now. I got up and walked over to them. I looked down at them for a minute with one eye brow raised. They both look a little nervous. Finally I grabbed both of them into a big bear hug. Carol started crying and ran over to join in the hug. I soon realized we were all crying. When the hug broke, Kurt spoke again.

"So you aren't mad at us?" He asked timidly.

"Of course I'm mad I wasn't at my sons' wedding. But I can see how happy you two are and I've lived long enough to know that yelling about something doesn't change anything. So I'm choosing to be happy for you. Maybe we can have a party here for friends and family that didn't get to be at the wedding. More like having a reception." I suggested. They were relieved that I wasn't going to stay mad and Kurt immediately got to work planning a party with Carol's help. Blaine relaxed a little into his chair and just sat and smiled at Kurt.

"So, is it Anderson-Hummel or Hummel- Anderson now?" I asked him. He snapped out of his daze and looked at me for a minute, trying to process the question.

"Actually, it's just Hummel. Kurt wanted to hyphenate it, but I don't really want any ties to my old life. Besides, I've been a Hummel for a while now, why not make it official?" He said with a huge grin. I was very excited to say the least.

"So what's next?" I asked him.

"Well, besides the party Kurt is now planning, and prom, we figured we'd want to go on a honeymoon, but we'll wait till after graduation so we can stay longer without missing too much school. After that, we'll get an apartment in New York City in time for college to start. Since we are married now, I guess you can have your guest room back." He said jokingly. I gave him a look and he backtracked quickly.

"I mean, Kurt has a bigger room anyway, it makes sense for us to take that one… if it's ok with you of course. Or we could just keep the arrangement we have now if you'd rather that." He finished quickly.

"I guess you can move into Kurt's room. You're in there most nights anyway, might as well get the guest room back so we can have company again, or at least a place to store stuff." As soon as I said it, his face lit up. He immediately thanked me before telling Kurt, who squealed with delight. They continued with the party plans while Finn and I went in to watch some TV.

Later on, Carol and I were sitting in the living room enjoy a glass of wine.

"I can't believe that they're married." She said quietly.

"I know. But I'm really not that surprised. I mean, I wasn't expecting it, but if anyone can make it work, it's them. They've been through so much together; I don't think there's anything they can't handle."

**A/N: A few things:**

**1. Before you anonymously bash/complain/correct, you can get married in New York State at 16, with written permission from a guardian, so we can all just imagine them forging a note. If they are willing to use fake ID's, they would certainly be willing to use a fake note since Blaine is only 17 here. **

**2. There's probably only going to be a few more chapters. There's still prom and graduation though. I am either going to go to graduation or the end of summer with the boys leaving for college.**

**3. A big thanks to everyone who's been reviewing. They make my day and inspire me to write faster. **

**Thanks:)**


	28. Chapter 28

Our heartfelt little moment was broken by a loud crash from upstairs. We ran upstairs to see what was going on, since it sounded like it came from Kurt's room. I banged on the closed door, but knew enough to not barge right it. I've done that enough times to learn my lesson. I heard someone shout an out of breath "Just a minute." We waited outside the door until it was open from the inside. Kurt and Blaine were wearing shorts and t-shirts now, but they were obviously just thrown on. Blaine was still sitting on the pile of what was once the bed.

"What the hell happened in here?" I asked when I saw what a complete mess there was in the room.

"Um… the bed sort of broke…" Kurt said turning a very bright shade of red. I just rolled my eyes at that.

"Are you two both alright?" Carol asked while laughing a little. Blaine winced a little when he tried to get up.

"I'm ok, but I don't think Blaine is." Kurt said.

"I'll be fine." Blaine said (an octave higher than he normally spoke). Carol shot me a look, so I decided to step out of the room for a minute so she could do her nurse thing. I went into Blaine's room to make sure the bed was still made so that they could stay in there tonight. That way we could wait until tomorrow to fix the bed. It looked like the boys were going to be learning all about power tools, since I was going to make them do most of the work. A few minutes later I saw Carol returning to Kurt's room with an ice pack. I finally went back into Kurt's room to let the boys know we'd fix the bed tomorrow. I could already tell that having a married couple in the house would be a handful.

"Are you OK, Blaine?" I asked when I saw him lying on the bed holding an ice pack on his lap.

"He's fine. He's just being overly dramatic." Kurt tried to say, but Blaine glared daggers at him before announcing to the room that he broke his penis. Carol simply laughed and walked out of the room, shaking her head.

"I get that you guys didn't get a honeymoon, but I can't have you destroying the house. Why don't you go into Blaine's room for tonight and tomorrow we can fix your bed Kurt?" I said to them. They both nodded and looked a little embarrassed. They walked into Blaine's room, well, Kurt walked and Blaine limped, and shut the door. I was about to say my usual "Door open," but I guess I couldn't really do that anymore.

A few days later I found Kurt and Blaine on the loveseat, both looking at something on the laptop. I walked behind them to see what they were looking at. The current website showed all different types of tuxedos.

"Those look pretty fancy." I said to them as I went over to sit on the couch.

"Well, we want to look our best." Blaine said.

"For prom?" I asked. I knew immediately that something was wrong when I saw both of their mouths drop open.

"Oh my god! We forgot about prom. It's Senior Prom. We just have to go. I've been so focused on planning a wedding reception that I forgot prom is next week. I can't believe that we could miss it. Blaine, go call someone and see how we can still get tickets. I'll call and see who in glee is getting a limo or going out for pictures. What will we wear?" Kurt said in a rush, standing in the middle of the living room spinning around, as if he could find something to wear in there.

"Kurt, calm down. I know that Finn just bought his and Rachel's tickets today, so they are still selling them. My friend at the tux shop can get you a discount on a rental and he owes me a favor, so he shouldn't mind rushing to pull something together at the last minute. Just, please no kilt this year." I said, trying to calm Kurt. Blaine walked back in the room and announced he was able to get in touch with someone at the school and that they would be able to buy their tickets tomorrow. I called my friend and he said he could get me two tuxes, but we had to go over now for measurements.

Finn heard the commotion and decided to go with us to the tux shop, since he also needed something to wear, and of course didn't plan ahead. We arrived just in time before they closed. While I spoke with my friend, the boys started to look around the shop to pick out the style they wanted. Blaine and Finn were trying to convince Kurt that they should all wear bright color leisure suits. Blaine was holding up a bright orange suit with a ruffled shirt, and Finn had a matching one in powder blue. Kurt was clearly trying to hold in a scream, but calmly told them that there was no way any of them were going to wear anything that gaudy.

We all went into the back once the boys picked out what they liked. Technically Kurt picked out all three, but we can pretend, can't we. Finn went first, getting fitted for a tux with a light blue vest to match Rachel's prom dress. Blaine went next, getting fitted for a simple black tux.

"What color accent should you get to match your date?" The tailor asked him. Blaine looked to Kurt and asked him.

"Hey Kurt, what color is my date going to be wearing?"

"I think your should get a dark red shirt with a black tie and vest if you want to match your date perfectly." Kurt said, attempting not to laugh. Kurt went next to get his. He had chosen the same black tux as Blaine.

"And what accent color do you need?" He was asked. Kurt, ever ready with a quip, quickly responded.

"I'm going to need a black shirt with a dark red tie and vest to match my gorgeous prom date over there." Kurt said while winking at Blaine, who smiled and blushed a little. The tailor was a little taken back, but smiled and finished taking his notes. I laughed a little with my friend, who had known Kurt since he was little.

Once everyone had their tuxes picked out and paid for, we headed home with three suit bags. Normally, when you rent a suit, you only get it for a day or two, but since they knew they were going to be very busy with all the prom tuxes going out, it was easier to let us take these early instead of adding to the crowd that they would have to deal with the day before prom. It helped that I've known the owner since high school. When we got back to the house, there was a fashion show for Carol, who was dying to see the boys in their prom attire.

The next week found us getting ready for the senior prom. After the fiasco last year, everyone was a little nervous, but we were more prepared. I had called Figgins early in the week to tell him that under no circumstances could he announce Kurt or Blaine's name as prom queen, no matter how many votes they may get. I may have threatened him a little, but at least I was sure he wouldn't let the same thing happen as last year. I also spoke with Finn and Puck. They were planning on keeping an eye on Kurt and Blaine anyway, but after I asked them, they decided to recruit Mike and Artie as well. While Artie wasn't as good at defending, once he rolled into the middle of a fight it stopped, since everyone was afraid of hitting a kid in a wheelchair. Friday night found the entire glee club in our backyard for pictures. First there were couple pictures, then the boys, then girls and then the whole group, as well as every combination you could think of. First there was Kurt and Blaine, then Finn and Rachel, then Santana and Brittany, then Puck and Lauren. After that was Mercedes and David, Artie and Quinn, Mike and Tina, then a few other kids I didn't recognize. Kurt had gotten into the picture with all the guys, but then stepped out for a second shot, and joined the girls or one of their pictures, since he was an "honorary girl". Once every possible picture was taken, they piled into two limos to take them to the prom. They had gotten a really good deal since Puck "knew a guy". I didn't ask any questions, but was prepared to go pick up a truckload of kids if the limo turned out to be unreliable and left everyone there.

After all the kids left, we went inside with all the parents that had come over for pictures. We had invited everyone ahead of time for a party since we knew they would all be free as well. And that way we were all in one place in case there was a problem and we needed to go get any kids. A few parents decided not to drink in case anyone needed to pick up the kids, but everyone else got to enjoying themselves. The Berry's, Mrs. Jones and surprisingly a slightly tipsy Carol started singing around the piano. I guess the kids had to get it from somewhere. Between Carol and me, we had known almost every one of the parents there since elementary school, so no one was that shy. With all the glee club competitions, we had gotten to know everyone much better. There was one couple we didn't know, who had come up to introduce themselves as David's parents. It took me a minute to realize who they were talking about. David was Blaine's friend from Dalton that was now dating Mercedes. They thanked me for taking in Blaine, and said that David was so much happier now, due mostly to Kurt and Blaine. If Kurt and Blaine hadn't of gotten together, Mercedes and David never would have met.

A few hours later, the party was winding down, everyone saying they should head home before the prom is over. Quite a few parents said that they didn't trust their kids to be home alone with their prom dates. We didn't have that problem in our house, mainly because no one seemed to care if parents were home. I of course didn't mention that to our guests. They didn't need to know that.

Around midnight a limo pulled up in front of our house to drop off the boys. Kurt and Blaine came right inside, grins on their faces. Finn was going to be staying at Rachel's that night, so he just ran in to grab a bag he had left by the door. At first, we didn't think it was a good idea, but Hiram had assured me that both he and Leroy would be home the whole time, and wouldn't be letting anything serious happen. They had only agreed so they kids wouldn't sneak off somewhere. The plan was for all the kids to go away for the weekend, but the parents had collectively refused to let anyone leave until Saturday morning. They would be too tired to be driving this late. The next day the entire glee club would be driving to Cedar Point Amusement Park and would be staying over for the weekend.

"So boys, how was prom?" Carol asked. They were smiling so that was a good sign.

"It was wonderful. No one gave us a hard time, or called us names, or voted us for prom queens. They just let us be." Blaine said with a grin.

"It really was great. I got to slow dance with my husband!" Kurt said, bouncing up and down a little while grabbing Blaine's hand.

"Who won prom king and queen?" I asked, relieved it wasn't Kurt or Blaine.

"Quinn, of course, she's been campaigning since junior prom, and surprisingly Artie. They aren't even a couple, but I guess all it took was going as Quinn's date for him to win. Finn and Puck had to lift his chair up on to the stage, since he wasn't even running for prom king. If he had known, he could have gone around the back way to get up on stage. And they had a really cute dance. Quinn sat on Artie's lap while he rolled around. I'm pretty sure I saw them making out in the limo on the way home, so we may see them going out soon." Kurt said, before yawning. Blaine's eyes were starting to droop shut, so Carol shooed them off to bed before we headed to bed ourselves.

The next morning the boys packed up the truck and head over to pick up Mercedes and David before driving to the amusement park. Which meant Carol and I had the house to ourselves for the entire weekend. With no kids!

A/N: I don't know what traditions are in other states, but I know almost every highschooler in NJ goes down the shore after prom. I figured in Ohio they would go somewhere nearby, and I personally, love roller coasters, so why should they!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, it was a busy holiday weekend.

Enjoy

The last few days of school went by uneventfully. Or at least as uneventful as anything in our house can be. All three boys were graduating, Finn just barely, and Kurt and Blaine at the top of the class. There was a bit of an argument over who was ranked higher. Blaine was technically ranked higher, but he was taking more A.P. classes then Kurt, so they were weighted more, so while his GPA was a little higher, they got the same amount of A's. Luckily their fights consisted over arguing who was smarter then cuddling on the couch to watch TV. They were able to resolve issues faster than any other couple I know, married or not.

Not much had changed since the boys decided to run off and get married. The only major difference was that they now shared Kurt's room, which they sort of did anyway. It was sort of as if they were just engaged, waiting for the party to act as the wedding. After graduation, there was going to be a big party for the wedding, after which the boys were going to go on a honeymoon, then get a place of their own in the city.

The day of graduation, Carol and I headed over to the high school early to get good seats. Each student was given two tickets, so since it was just Carol and I, we gave our extra tickets to some of the glee club families with more people. Luckily, not that many parents thought to go early, so we got seats right up front. The boys were already inside the school, having driven separately to get there in time to sign in and line up. When I saw Coach Sylvester walk out of the school and up into the stands around the football field, I tried not to make eye contact, hoping she wasn't coming to talk to us. The last thing I needed was to hear that Kurt and Blaine were caught having sex while lining up for their high school graduation.

"Hummel!" I heard her shout. This wouldn't be good. I could already tell. I really thought they were smart enough to not get caught by Sue again.

"What seems to be the problem?" Carol asked sweetly.

"There seems to be some problem with your boys. The seniors all had to line up alphabetically, but Curls refuses to go up by the other A's, insisting his last name is now Hummel. Last I checked his name was still Anderson. Not that I acknowledge names anyway. And he is now throwing a hissy fit, as only a gay boy can do; shouting that he and Porcelain got married and he changed his name. Now, since gay marriage isn't even legal in Ohio, I'm going to need one of you to come inside and talk some sense into his gel infused brain." The coach said while managing to glare at us like we personally did something to offend her. After a minute of Carol and me looking at each other, trying not to laugh and decide who should tell her, I finally responded to the crazed cheerleading coach.

"Actually, his last name is in fact Hummel. The boys got married when they were in New York for glee club. And before you say anything else, it wasn't Schuester's fault, since I know this is exactly what you would think. The boys decided this by themselves, and after that cheerleading trip you took with them, you of all people should know that there is no keeping them apart. So why don't you go back inside an agree to let Blaine and Kurt walk next to each other before one of them really starts to freak out."

"Trust me, you do not want to see what happens with both of them are pissed off." Carol added.

Coach Sylvester turned around without saying anything and stomped back inside. About twenty minutes later, we saw a line of kids start marching out of the school heading for the football field where we were waiting. I couldn't pick the boys out yet, since everyone was wearing the same bright red cap and gown. I finally spotted Finn, since he stood out by being so tall, gangly and all around awkward. I then spotted Kurt and Blaine. They were right behind Finn, holding hands. I guess there was no one alphabetically between Hudson and Hummel. I knew it was them because there were no other boys holding hands. The line stopped before getting onto the field and the band started to play. The graduates walked onto the field and took their places on the bleachers that were set up in the middle of the field. Around the third speech, I lost interested and started looking around the stands to find the other parents that I recognized. I saw Mercedes' family, who I have known since the kids were in kindergarten. Mrs. Jones was friends with Elizabeth since they were both class moms and chaperones. Kurt and Mercedes had become fast friends, and then when Elizabeth died, Mrs. Jones was constantly over the house, looking after Kurt and myself, as well as bringing food. It took me a moment to realize that David Warbler was sitting with them, holding a bouquet of flowers that must have been for Mercedes. We currently had three bouquets of flowers under our seats, but none were from us. Finn had bought some for Rachel, but we needed to hold on to them until after the ceremony so he could give them to her. Kurt had given a set to Carol to hold for him to give Blaine afterwards, and Blaine had done the exact same thing for Kurt.

I continued to look through the stands, recognizing other glee club parents and occasionally waving to a few. Then I saw a man standing by the entrance gate that I vaguely recognized, but couldn't quite place. I looked back to the stands to see the boys. Someone was still talking, but it was quite boring, and all the kids in the stands were starting to goof around. There was a beach ball bouncing around, as well as a sex doll that someone had snuck in and blown up. I suspected Puck. I spotted Kurt and Blaine talking to Finn. Blaine looked away and made eye contact with someone by the entrance. I looked over and saw it was the man I saw before. I looked back to Blaine and saw he had turned white as a sheet and was shaking while Kurt wrapped him in his arms. It immediately clicked and I realized the man was Blaine's father. I stood up from my seat, handed Carol the camera and walked over to where Mr. Anderson was standing.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, probably a little louder than I intended. A few other parents looked over to see what was going on. Before I knew what was happening, I had punched him in face and someone was dragging me back while holding my arms behind my back. I looked to see Mike Jones, Mercedes father, had dragged me off of Bill Anderson. A security guard came over just in time to escort Bill out. When he returned he came up to me and said Bill said I threw the first punch. I nodded my head, but knew I probably shouldn't have. Almost everyone in the stands had seen, so someone was sure to come forward if I didn't admit it.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave sir." The security guard said. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, like a fish. I couldn't believe I was going to miss my kids' graduation. I dragged my feet walking out with the guard. I figured if I went slow enough down to the school, I could at least hear it over the P.A. system, but that didn't work.

About an hour later, the ceremony had let out and everyone came down to the school to pick me up. I felt like a little kid, sitting in the principal's office, waiting for a parent to pick them up. I saw Carol through the windows. She spoke with the security guard for a few minutes while the boys stood around talking. The guard finally motioned towards me, meaning that I was free to go. Instead of Carol, as I expected, Blaine walked into the office alone.

"So… nice shiner you've got started there. Trust me; it's going to be a good one. Those are his specialty." He said slowly. I reached up to touch my eye and realized that it was tender and a little painful. Up until now I had been so angry I didn't even notice that I was hit.

"I'm so sorry Blaine. I shouldn't have started anything." I started to say, but he cut me off by running over and hugging me. After a minute I could tell he was crying, so I just rubbed his back while he continued to cry.

"I'm sorry you had to miss the graduation because of me. You should have gotten to see Kurt and Finn graduate." Blaine said through tears.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. And I would have loved to see all three of you graduate, but that was something that needed to be done. I don't know what he was doing there, or how he even knew that the graduation was today. We never even told him what school you would be going to." I said to him.

"Dalton. He must have called Dalton and they would have said where I transferred to. But I don't know why he would even care enough to come. He said he didn't want to see me ever again. Why now?" He said, calmer now than he had been the past few minutes.

"You turn 18 in a few days, don't you?" I asked him. "Maybe he wanted to scare you away from collecting your inheritance. If you don't collect it, does it go back to him?"

"I think you're right. He wouldn't want me to collect it. If it was up to him, I would have been written out of the family estate completely, but he couldn't." Blaine said. He sat down and after a moment of silence, spoke again. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. That's what fathers do. They protect their kids. Now, let's get out of here. I have a home movie to watch, and we have a party to get to!" I said, helping him off the couch. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and walked out to meet the rest of the family who were diligently waiting in the hallway.

Later on that night, after watching the video Carol had taken, we headed over to the Berry's for a graduation party they were throwing for all the seniors in glee club (but mostly Rachel). We were going to throw a party for our boys, but with a big wedding reception coming we decided to hold off. The original plan was to go out to dinner, but then we were invited to the Berry's for the party.

The party started off nicely, with the kids goofing around in the backyard. Some were playing around with a football, others chasing one another with a hose or water balloons. Several girls and Kurt were sitting on the patio in lounge chairs, just talking. It was nice to see the kids enjoying themselves and acting like kids one more time before heading off to college. Meanwhile, the adults were all in the kitchen. Wine and beer was passed around to all the adults present, and the party quickly got into full swing. Puck and Blaine were in charge of the barbeque, first cooking some vegan veggie burgers for Rachel before breaking out the real food. Luckily the kids wanted to cook, because by the time the food was ready, most of the parents were at least tipsy, some more than others. We all sat outside to eat while the kids put on a few performances. It started with Rachel, who likes to serenade all guests to the house, but the other kids wouldn't go along with the Rachel Berry show and each took a turn at the karaoke machine that was set up outside with an elaborate system of extension cords and speakers. After about a dozen songs by different kids, the party started to wrap up and everyone started to get ready to leave. Luckily, everyone was there with their kids, because most of the parents had too much to drink to drive themselves home. Kurt drove Carol and I home, while Blaine drove Finn, since we had taken two cars to get there. I didn't remember much from the ride home, other that Carol and I sitting together in the back. The next morning I woke up a little hungover. I was a little surprised, since I didn't remember drinking all that much. Carol was still asleep, which was unusual, since she was usually up before me. But then again, she had a lot more to drink than me. Carol could really go through wine when she was with Leroy and Hiram.

I walked downstairs to find Kurt and Blaine making breakfast. I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at the table, waiting for them to finish the pancakes since I was starving. Kurt dropped a plate in front of me without making eye contact then stormed back to the stove to flip the next batch. I ate my pancakes (which were delicious) in silence. Blaine was giggling a little, but clearly trying not to laugh. Kurt seemed a little pissed, but didn't say anything directly to me. After eat for a few minutes, Carol came down, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat next to me just in time to grab my fork and finish my last pancake. Kurt then dropped a plate in front of her and added another pancake to my plate, but was looking at us with a look of disgust.

"OK, Kurt. My head hurts too much to try and figure out why you are mad. Why don't you enlighten us?" I finally said, trying not to talk too loudly and cause my headache (or presumably, Carol's) to worsen. Blaine sat at the table with us with a large plate of pancakes while Kurt plopped into his seat with a bowl of cereal and some grapefruit.

"You have no idea how disgusted I am by you two. Do you remember anything that happened last night?" He said. I thought back to the party, having a lot to drink, listening to a lot of singing, then stumbling out to the car with Carol. Kurt drove us home, since neither of us was in any state to drive. The ride was a little foggy, but something was nagging me in the back of my mind.

"That was the most mortifying ride of my life. I can't believe you two!" Kurt shouted now. "You spent the first half of the ride home making out in the backseat. Very loudly I might add! Then you proceeded to discuss what you were going to do when you got home. It was not something you should ever discuss doing in front of your child. Then, by the time we got home, I opened the back door to get you out to find BOTH of you without shirts on!" As Kurt went on, I realized everything he was saying was true. I started to remember bits and pieces. I certainly remembered enough to know I should be very embarrassed right now. For once, while sitting around the kitchen table, Carol and I were bright red. Usually Kurt and Blaine were the ones to be embarrassed. Carol excused herself and ran up to our room. I was stuck sitting there with a glaring Kurt and Blaine who was slowly turning purple from trying to contain his laughter.

"Why don't we just pretend this never happened? I think after all the embarrassing things you two have been caught doing you could just let this one time slide. And can we please not mention this to Finn?" I pleaded.

"Mention what to me?" Finn asked from the doorway.

Oh boy, this probably wouldn't end well…

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. I plan on finishing this story with either the wedding reception or moving to New York. There may be a sequel, I'm still undecided. **

**I tried to offset the drama in this chapter with a little awkward hilarity at the end, hopefully it balanced out and left you smiling **


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but things have been crazy this past week. I also may have finally gotten onto pottermore and spent quite a bit of time doing absolutely everything available.

So it looks like your going to get a little more of this story after all. I started writing this chapter and all of a sudden I realized it was more than twice as long as any other chapter, so I decided to split it up. (Which means there won't be as long of a wait!) I didn't originally plan it, but as I was writing, a few other characters demanded to be added, so I had to work them in as well. One more chapter after this, which is the actual party, then comes an epilogue or sorts, which consists of moving the boys to their new apartment in NYC.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy

The weeks following graduation were quite hectic in our house. First came Blaine's 18th birthday. We didn't have a party, at Blaine's insistence. Instead we went out for dinner and Kurt made a cake. This time around, the cake was delicious, since Kurt made it, only there wasn't a dinosaur with Cowboy Kurt and Blaine riding it while it ate Finn. Blaine was quite disappointed at how classy the cake looked. The next day he and Kurt went to speak with a lawyer and got everything in order with Blaine's inheritance, which lead to Blaine trying to give Carol and I money for taking him in. We kept refusing, but finally relented and accepted the honeymoon he offered, since we missed out on that the first time around, in favor of sending Kurt to Dalton. We would be going on a cruise, leaving out of New York City. We were going to travel there with the boys to get them settled in their new apartment before school started at the end of the summer, and then we could leave straight from there. I was certainly looking forward to it, and I know Carol was also very excited.

Once the boys got over the shock of having enough money to do whatever they wanted, they took one day to go on a crazy, over the top shopping spree, getting new clothes for college, as well as stuff for their apartment. When they were finished the one day of spending insanity, they made sure everything was straightened out with the money going into several different accounts so they wouldn't get out of control and spend more than they should.

When July hit, the fun really started. Kurt and Carol were busy around the clock on wedding party plans. It seemed just as complicated as when we planned our wedding, only now the boys were already married. I thought they would have had less planning to do, but I guess whenever Kurt is involved, things have to be more complicated. At first, Blaine was helping with the planning, but he was eventually kicked out when every single suggestion was rejected. Apparently, Kurt wasn't interested in a Harry Potter themed wedding, or any other crazy theme that Blaine could think up. Transformers, Batman, Power Rangers, Rainbow Unicorns and Star Wars were each rejected as well. Blaine's one idea that he demanded was that he wanted wedding pie. They would also have a wedding cake, but for some strange reason, Blaine really wanted wedding pie. Kurt agreed to his one demand on the condition that Blaine would go watch TV while Kurt finished the rest of the planning.

"Hey Dad, I need your list of guests now. Is there anyone in particular you want to invite?" Kurt asked me, clearly a little impatient, waiting for my answer.

"Um… just the usual I guess. Oh, and make sure you invite your grandmother."

"Of course, I invited everyone in the family. I meant if there was anyone else you wanted, like friends, people from work, etc…" He said again. I'm glad he already invited my side of the family, since it didn't occur to me to invite them until just now. It's not that I wouldn't invite them, I just don't think ahead the way other people do.

"Who else is going to be there, besides my side of the family?" I asked him.

"Carol's side, minus her mother, all of New Directions, the Jones', the Berrys, the Warblers, David and Wes's parents, since Blaine used to stay with then a lot, Mr. Schue and Miss. Pillsbury… um, I think I'm forgetting some people, but that's the main idea. You know family and friends." He said, a little out of breath, since he didn't really stop to breath throughout his whole explanation.

"I guess I'll invite a couple guys from the shop if you don't mind. You know them all from working there. Did you invite anyone for your mother's side?" I asked him carefully.

After Elizabeth died, her family kept in touch for a little while. As time went on, we saw them less and less. Finally, one day, her father came to visit me in the shop to explain why they were basically cutting us out of their lives. For them, it was too painful to be around Kurt, who was so similar to Elizabeth. He had her looks, her voice, her mannerisms and even her outlook on life. I thought it was like having a part of her around, but for them, it was too much to handle. They stopped coming to visit, and eventually stopped calling altogether, because every time Kurt answered the phone, it sounded just like Elizabeth. Kurt didn't take it very well, but it wasn't that bad. He still had another set of grandparents and other relatives on my side. One time we were having dinner and it came up in conversation. Kurt said he was glad they left when they did, because it would have been worse if they stopped talking to him because he was gay. That broke my heart, because honestly, they really had no problem with that.

"Um… I thought about it. But I didn't think they'd want to come. Besides, they don't even know I'm gay. I wouldn't want Nana and Pop-pop to have a heart attack when the walk in and see two little grooms on top of the cake." He said sadly.

"I think you should invite them. It's an important day for you, and they are your family. Besides, they know you're gay. I know they haven't seen you since you were eight, but it was pretty obvious even then. What kid wears bowties to kindergarten and spends all their time having tea parties?" As I said it, I saw Blaine's head pop up from where he was sitting on the couch.

"Hey! What's wrong with that? I wore bowties and had tea parties!" Blaine said, as Kurt and I both broke into fits of laughter. After a few minutes, we decided on inviting Kurt's grandparents on his mother's side. I agreed to call and invite them since Kurt was a little nervous. I grabbed the cordless and went up to my room to call. I knew the number by heart. I would never forget that number. I used to call it all the time, all through middle and high school. Elizabeth's parents had never moved or changed phone numbers, so it was still the same after all these years. After a few rings, I heard someone answer. It was Elizabeth's mother, Mary. She sounded a lot older than the last time I heard it, but really, that was already ten years ago

"Hello?"

"Hi Mary. It's Burt. Hummel."

"Oh, Burt… How have you been?" She asked, clearly not sure what to say.

"Oh, I'm fine. How are you and John?" I asked her, trying to start out the conversation pleasantly, before inviting her to a wedding.

"John isn't with us any more. He had a heart attack two years ago. It's just me now, but I'm getting by ok. I miss him everyday. I know you know how difficult it is to lose your spouse." She finished sadly. I did know. It wasn't something that you got over easily.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Kurt will be upset when he hears that. He always liked John."

"Oh, how is Kurt doing? He was always such a sweet little boy." She asked. She seemed genuinely interested, not like she was just asking to be polite.

"He's actually doing really well. He just graduated high school and is heading to New York in the fall to start college. He's actually the reason I called. We wanted to invite you to Kurt's wedding." No reason to get into the whole story over the phone, about them already being married.

"Wedding! I thought you just said he graduated high school. He's so young!" She said, shocked, but not angry.

"That's what I said, but they're in love." I said honestly.

"Well, you and Elizabeth got married at the same age. You probably should have gotten married a little earlier too, considering she was as big as a house at your wedding." She said with a smile in her voice, before continuing. "What's the lucky boy's name?"

I knew immediately that this was going to be much easier, since she wasn't assuming Kurt was marrying a girl. I knew that they knew.

"Blaine. He's a great kid, Kurt loves him, and in fact we all do." I said. I realized what I said as soon as Mary started talking again.

"We?"

"Yes. I got remarried last year. Her name is Carol. She has a son Kurt's age, so our families have sort of combined to make one larger one." I hoped this wouldn't be the reason she refused to come to Kurt's wedding.

"I think it's wonderful you've been able to move on. It has been ten years. I know that's what Elizabeth would have wanted for you and Kurt. I'm glad you're finally happy again." She said.

"We are all happy now. And this wedding is one more thing to be happy about. So, do you think you'd be able to make it? I know it would mean a lot to Kurt." I asked.

"I'd love to. If I could turn back time, the one thing I would change is staying in Kurt's life. I know that John and Elizabeth's deaths were out of my control, but that was one thing I could have done and didn't. Thank you so much for including me." She said gratefully. I told her the date, time and location and finally hung up after she said she would see me there.

"Good news Kurt! Nana is coming to your wedding!" I said as I walked into the kitchen and put the phone back in the dock.

"That's great she's coming. But what about Pop-pop? Doesn't he want to come too?" He asked. Oh, that's right… I probably should have started with that part.

"Why don't you take a seat?" I said, waiting for him to sit down. Once he did, I sat across from him and tried to break it to him gently. "Pop-pop passed away. I'm very sorry."

After a minute, Kurt finally looked right at me to talk. "Shouldn't I be upset? Why isn't this bothering me, like it should?" He said. At least he wasn't that upset.

"It's OK. Don't feel bad, you haven't seen him in ten years, and he was the one to cut off contact. But Nana wants to come. She said she wished that she kept in contact, and I think you should give her a chance." I said, hoping, he would be OK with seeing Mary.

"Yeah, that's fine. It'll be nice seeing her after all these years." Kurt said before going back to working on finalizing the wedding plans. Right now he was working on a seating chart. While Blaine was still in the other room, I figured I would ask about his family, in case it would upset him.

"Does Blaine have any family coming?"

"He doesn't really have any family to invite. We obviously wouldn't invite his dad; he had one uncle, who acts the same as his father, so he's out too. We did invite his mom, but we haven't heard back from her yet. Blaine's still hoping she'll come, but I doubt it. Hopefully she will at least write back." Kurt said, a little sadly.

The rest of the planning went smoothly. The day of the party arrived and Kurt was a nervous wreck and running around, frantically waving a clipboard. I finally grabbed the clipboard out of his hands and sat him down on the couch.

"Kurt! Look at me!" I shouted to get his attention. He finally calmed down and looked right at me from his place on the couch. "You need to calm down. Everything is going to work out just fine. Now, I'm going to hold on to this clipboard, and Carol and I will finish getting everything ready. You are going to go, shower and get dressed. Also, go apologize to Blaine. I'm pretty sure you scared the crap out of him this morning when you got up at five am to change the color of the ribbons on the party favors." I said, trying to convince Kurt that we could handle the rest of the preparations.

"But there's still so much left to do! And the ribbon color was all wrong. We wanted hunter green, and that original ribbon was more of a forest green. Luckily Walmart was open 24 hours. I would have liked a nicer quality of ribbon, but at least I was able to get the correct color. It had to be the perfect shade to match our eyes! Blaine's hazel eyes have flecks of green, and mine change, but always have that ring of gold in the center. This ribbon works much better." He said quickly.

"Stop! Carol knows about everything that has to be done. Let her take care of the last minute stuff. You need to relax and get ready. You need to look your best, you know." I said as I ushered him up the stairs to get ready. He didn't handle stress well, and this was no exception. Once he was out of sight, Carol came in the room and offered to finish whatever details were left. I gladly handed her the clipboard and went to get ready myself. My mother was staying with us (since we now had an extra bedroom again), so she ended up helping Carol organize. Puck came over to help Finn load up everything from the house to the truck and then drive it to the hall and unload it there. That left me in charge of making sure Kurt and Blaine got there on time. I went upstairs to see if they were ready yet. I knocked and got no response so I went in to hear the shower running. Neither of them were in the room, but as soon as I heard the moaning coming from the bathroom, I decided that maybe being fashionably late wouldn't be such a bad thing. Besides, I would get to watch a little more TV while I waited for them.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Here's the party. There's a bit of drama (I wouldn't quite call it angst, cause it's still kind of happy) in this chapter, but don't hate me. Hopefully you'll like the new character I introduced. If there is good feedback, it could lead to a staring role in a one-shot within the universe down the line.

I probably won't be able to update again until sometime mid-next week.

Please enjoy, and as always, reviews make my day!

For those of you who have stuck with the story since the beginning, I thank you greatly!

* * *

><p>For the most part, the party went by smoothly. They started it out like a regular wedding reception and introduced the Best Man (Finn) and Groomsmen, as well as the Maid of Honor (Mercedes) and the "Groomsma'ams" (can't have bridesmaids without a bride). There was a lot of dancing, food and laughter. Everyone was enjoying themselves, especially the glee club kids, since they were the ones providing the music. They each took turns singing solos or duets and everyone had a great time. Mary did come to see Kurt, and they had a heartfelt reunion, although I could tell Kurt was staying a little reserved. It's understandable after the way they completely cut off contact. But everyone was in good spirits and friendly.<p>

About halfway through the party, I noticed a woman walk in holding a small girl. The woman looked familiar, and I immediately placed her from the picture hanging in Blaine's room. She was a beautiful, short Asian woman. I recognized the curly dark hair and height that Blaine had gotten from her. This must have been Blaine's mother. But she was holding a small girl, who looked two or three years old. As I got closer, I saw that the little girl looked just like Blaine, with the same hair, eyes and nose. I walked up to the woman and introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Burt Hummel." I said, holding my hand out. She ignored it completely before pulling me into a hug, squishing the little girl between us.

"Thank you for everything you've done for him." She said as she pulled out of the hug. "My name is Rhea, I'm Blaine's mother. I can't thank you enough or ever repay you. You protected him when I couldn't." She was in tears now, and the little girl in her arms looked confused and started squirming to get down. I lead Rhea over to a table in the back so she could sit down. After a moment, she was calmer and able to speak again.

"This is Jianna." She said, introducing the little girl to me.

"Is she…" I started to ask, but she cut me off.

"Yes. Blaine's sister. As soon as I found out I was pregnant again, I knew I had to leave. I know it probably makes me sound like the worst mother ever, but I didn't want what happened to Blaine to happen to her." She said, kissing the top of the little girls head. I didn't say anything for a few minutes. I was glad she came for Blaine, but I couldn't believe this woman would just abandon him like that. I didn't want to say anything to make her think she wasn't welcome, or else she might leave before she saw Blaine. Instead, I focused on the little girl who was sitting on Rhea's lap, playing with the pieces of confetti spread on the table top.

"Hello Jianna. How old are you?" I asked nicely to the little girl. She looked up at me calmly before holding up fingers while saying "fwee".

"That's a very pretty dress you are wearing."

"Fank you. I like pwetty dwesses." She said, as she went back to playing with the confetti. There were gold wedding bells and black grooms. The confetti came with white bride cut outs too, but Kurt, Blaine and Finn sat in front of the TV for hours picking them all out.

"Do you think it would be alright for me to talk to Blaine?" Rhea asked me, hesitantly.

"Of course. He wouldn't have invited you if he didn't want to see you. I'll go get him." I said before walking to the other side of the room to find Kurt and Blaine. I found them making there way around to each of the tables to greet their guests. I pulled Blaine aside while Kurt was talking to some of the girls from New Directions.

"Blaine. There's someone here to see you. Your mom is at the table by the backdoor. It must have been hard for her to come here, so be nice." I told him before leading him to where she was seated. "We'll get Kurt in a little while, after you two have had a moment to catch up. Just so you aren't too surprised when you see, she had a little girl with her. Who happens to look like a tiny, slightly more girly version of you." I pushed him up to the table, but his eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open slightly. After I elbowed him in the side he snapped out of it.

"Mom?" He said, barely above a whisper.

"Oh Sweetie. I missed you so much. I'm so sorry I left you." She said before pulling him into a hug as they both started crying, somewhat hysterically. After an awkward few minutes, I offered to take Jianna to go get a piece of cake so Blaine and Rhea could have a moment alone. I carried the little girl over to our table to sit with Carol and me and have a piece of cake. As soon as Carol looked at the girl and saw the resemblance to Blaine, she nearly squealed. "Is that who I think it is?" She asked me, as Jianna began devouring her cake with her hands, the fork lying abandoned on the table.

"Yes it is… Blaine is talking to his mom over in the corner, so offered to take her little girl for a piece of cake. It's astounding how similar they look." I said, as Kurt walked over and began whispering to us.

"Is that Blaine's mom? Should I go over there or leave them alone?"

"Why don't you give them a few minutes alone, then we'll all go over." Carol told him, just as the little girl finished her cake and looked up to me.

"May I pwease have some milk? Or moe cake?" She said with a toothy grin that matched Blaine. Apparently her appetite matched his too. It was difficult to say no to that smile.

"Oh my god!" Kurt shouted. After a look from Carol to calm him down, he sat down and just stared at the tiny girl. This was apparently the first time he noticed the little girl sitting at the table with us. "Has the government perfected cloning?" He asked calmly, while handing the little girl a glass of milk.

"From the short conversation I had with Mrs. Anderson, apparently as soon as she found out she was having another baby; she left, so the same thing wouldn't happen that had happened to Blaine." I told him and Carol. Kurt looked a little mad, but smiled when he saw Jianna finish the milk.

"I'm Kurt. What's your name, beautiful?" He asked her nicely.

"Jianna. I'm fwee yeas old!" she said, while holding up three fingers again. "And I yike pwetty dwesses!" She added, guessing his next questions would be the same that I asked her.

"I like pretty clothes too Jianna. I also like to make pretty dresses. Maybe I can make you a pretty dress one day." He told her with a smile. "Would you like that?"

"Yes pwease!" She said. After a few minutes, we decided to walk over and make sure Blaine was doing alright.

Blaine had calmed down, as had Rhea. By the time we got over there, they were talking quietly and both smiling. Kurt walked right up to Blaine and placed his hand soothingly on Blaine's back, as I had seen them do many times, whenever one of them was nervous or upset. Blaine looked up and him then took his hand and pulled him into the seat next to him.

"Kurt, this is my mom, Rhea. Mom, this is my husband, and best friend, Kurt." Blaine said with a smile, still holding Kurt's hand. Kurt shook hands with Rhea and they talked for a few minutes before Carol and I brought Jianna over. After some more pleasant conversation, Finn came over and met Blaine's mom and sister as well.

When the time came for the mother son dance, which they had originally decided against, but finally agreed to both dance with Carol, it was decided that Kurt would dance with Carol and Blaine could dance with his mom. Half way through the dance, they switched partners, since really; Carol was a mother to both Kurt and Blaine by now. Finn spun Jianna around the dance floor while she giggled and squealed from being so high off the ground.

The party wound down and all the guests started to leave. Kurt was dead on his feet, having only gotten about five hours of sleep in the last 48 hours, but Blaine made sure to hold him up by the door as they thanked their guests for coming. Once it was time for Blaine's mom to leave, Blaine was near tears again, since she would be returning to the Philippines, but this time with a promise to call and email often, as well as visit again once they got settled in New York. She would be driving to the airport tonight and taking the first flight out, since she was nervous about staying in Ohio with Jianna. Bill Anderson didn't know she even existed, and everyone wanted to keep it that way. Kurt and Blaine decided that next summer they would go to the Philippines to visit as well. There was no point in asking her to stay any longer to visit since the boys were leaving first thing the next morning for their honeymoon.

We didn't get home until well after midnight and everyone was so exhausted we decided to just leave everything in the car and get it the next day. I was originally scheduled to drive the boys to the airport, but Finn's wedding present to them was a coupon book for different jobs he could do, which included helping them move out of our house and into their apartment. One of the coupons was even for a roundtrip ride to the airport, so he would be the one who had to get up early and drive them to the airport.

The next morning I woke up my usual time, regardless of going to bed late to find the bed empty. Carol was already up. I walked downstairs to the kitchen to find Carol and all three boys sitting around the table with cups of coffee.

"No one was going to wake me up to join in this little family farewell party?" I asked, with mock hurt in my voice. I knew they would have woken me up to say goodbye.

"I was just about to go get you. We're about ready to go. I think we have everything we need for our Hawaiian honeymoon." Kurt said.

"Yeah, and Kurt has an entire suitcase filled with sunscreen, so he should be just as pale when we get back!" Blaine said with a smile. Kurt playfully smacked him on the arm, but didn't deny the amount of sunscreen in his bag. Once all the bags were loaded into the car, Finn got into the driver's seat as the two boys gave each of us a hug.

"Call us when you land, and please be safe. Have a great time!" Carol said.

"We'll see you in two weeks. Have a good time." I told them as the got in the car. Just as Finn started to pull out of the driveway, Carol and I both yelled back to the car.

"Aloha!"


	32. Chapter 32

We went two whole weeks without hearing from Kurt and Blaine. There was one text message that said:

"Plane landed in one piece. Tty in 2 weeks. Phones off."

Once they got home, things went back to normal, or at least as normal as things could be in our house. Carol and I were working, Finn was spending as much time with Rachel as he could before she left for New York and he started at the technical school. He was going to get a two year associate degree in auto mechanics, then try again for Ohio State or somewhere in New York to finish his degree. Kurt and Blaine were packing all of their things for New York, as well as picking out furniture and other things for the apartment. Luckily, most of the things they were looking at could be ordered online and picked up or delivered in New York.

Meanwhile, Carol and I had to get ready for our own trip. We would be driving out to New York to get the boys settled in. The original plan was to fly, but the boys had too much stuff to bring, and were only going to be bring Blaine's car. Their apartment included one parking spot, so they thought it would be better to have the smaller car for getting around the city. It also had fewer miles for drive back and forth to Ohio for all holiday breaks. Carol, Finn and I would be taking Kurt's Navigator, since it could fit the most stuff. We could park it at the garage at the pier for the week we would be on the cruise. Finn was going to stay in the city for the week with Rachel while she got settled in her dorm, then we'd all drive back to Ohio.

The night before we were going to leave we decided to pack the cars up early, that way we could leave first thing in the morning. It was a close fit. Blaine had a small two door sports car, so he really couldn't fit much in the trunk or tiny backseat. Luckily they would be getting most of their furniture in the city, so we just had to worry about clothes, personal items and random stuff they decided that they couldn't live without. Blaine's car was filled with Blaine's clothes, as well as blankets, pillows and Kurt's moisturizers. The navigator had our bags for the cruise, Kurt's clothes that he was bringing (most had to stay here for now), and a few boxes of their things. We were almost done when I was carrying out a plastic box. When Blaine saw me, his eyes practically bugged out of his head and he ran to grab the box from me.

"I'll just put that in my car." He said once he had the box. After a few minutes of trying, I finally went to get the box back from him, since it was obviously not going to fit in the trunk of his car.

"Why don't we just put that in the navigator. We still have room, but don't tell Kurt, he'll just try and bring more clothes." I said, but he continued to try and fit the box in his trunk.

"No, I think I almost got it." Blaine said. Just as Kurt and Carol came outside, Blaine let got of the box, expecting it to stay in his car, but instead, it decided to spring out and land on the pavement. Kurt and Blaine both tried to grab the box, but they missed and it hit the pavement of the driveway. I guess it only makes sense that the boys would move out with one last painfully awkward situation. Apparently a large box of sex toys exploding open in the driveway was karma's way of saying goodbye to the boys. Carol and I just started laughing and walked inside the house while the two boys scurried around the yard and driveway grabbing things that had some how flown quite far. As much as I didn't want to think about my little boy in that type of situation, this instance was particularly funny.

After one last night of squeaky bed springs and a not quite secured headboard, the boys said goodbye to the house and we all piled into the cars to head for New York.

It would take us about 10 hours, so Kurt already has the route mapped out, along with the designated rest stops for us to meet for meals.

"Oh no. We are going to need more rest stops than this. I can't stay in the car for more than an hour without having to pee." Carol said to the group at large.

"Mom!" Finn whined.

"Don't whine at me Finn. It's your fault. You're the one who sat on my bladder for nine months."

"Fine. We'll stop whenever we need to. That's what cell phones are for anyway. Just call and say when and where we are stopping." Kurt said, as he put on some sunglasses and walked out to the car.

We did end up stopping about eight times throughout the entire trip, but most of those times were either for Carol or Blaine. Carol really did have to pee all the time, and Blaine's problem was that he never needed to go when we were stopped, but instead, he'd have to go a half hour later.

When we got to New York, I was reminded why I hate driving in a congested city. We finally found a parking spot a few blocks from the boys' apartment. When it came time to unload, we would just pull up out front of the building, rather than carry everything. By the time we walked to their building, Kurt and Blaine had already greeted the doorman and were talking to someone at the front desk to get a key. It was a really nice building. Much nicer than college kids should be in, but the Kurt and Blaine had decided on buying an apartment instead of renting, since they planned on staying in the city after college. Once we got into the actual apartment, I was amazed. It was gorgeous. There were three bedrooms, an eat-in kitchen, a living room and a very fancy bathroom. They were going to use the extra bedrooms as an office and a guest room for now, but at least they were planning ahead for the possibility of kids. I can't really imagine thinking that far ahead, but Kurt's always been a planner. Once everything had been moved in to the apartment, we decided on going out to dinner, rather than set the kitchen up.

Then the time came that we were all dreading. Time to say goodbye. It was very heartfelt and emotional. I'm pretty sure all five of us were crying, which was silly, since we'd be seeing each other again in a week.

But that's what families do.

A/N: Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this journey. Look out for some one-shots within the Awkward Situations universe. There should be one up later today or tomorrow (Awkward Junk- sorry for the self promotion). I'm also starting another story that will be listed as Burt and Blaine as the main characters, even though it'll be Klaine, but will once again be narrated by Burt, since that's just how my mind works. I think I'm going to try and finish it before I start posting, so that way there won't be as long of a wait for updates.

For those of you who have stuck with this story since the begin, thank you


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